Beyond Ballet
by Outoftheshipbox
Summary: A compilation of roleplay logs, canon and AU, by several people who simply love Fakir and Ahiru too much. Warning: some will have adult material, and will be labeled appropriately.
1. Maid in Heaven

Author's note: Hi, everyone! I'm HermiaSD here on ffnet, and I'm Ahiru in this story! I'm really excited about working with so many awesome writers, and it's been such a pleasure putting this together with them. It may be choppy at times--RP format is much different than story format--but I hope you're entertained anyway! Thanks for reading!

Author's note 2: Hey, folks. Manda-chan here! I'll be doing Fakir's role in this story - so prepare for some TL;DR on his part. (It's a curse of my writing, I swear.) Anyway, apologies in advance if this is all hard to follow - keep in mind that we were tagging back and forth on this, so it changes POV _constantly_. That said, I hope you can enjoy it, regardless!

These fics are based off of prompts created for a roleplay community. Mainly for pointless entertainment, this fic is based on the prompt, **Maid/Master**.

* * *

Feather duster in hand, Ahiru marched into the large library of the estate, a determined spark in her to get to work.

And it was still early in the morning; she did her very best to wake up before any of the Masters and Mistresses of the house did. Especially before a particular one...

...But no such luck. For someone was already in the library, quietly reading. He wore crisp black pants with a matching vest, over a dark green dress shirt, and his hair of similar color was pulled back into a ponytail as his eyes focused on the worn pages of the book in his hands.

That is, until he was interrupted. The young man promptly looked up with a scowl when the maid entered. Just his luck. And it just _had_ to be the loud one who was always tripping over things and making more messes than she cleaned.

She didn't notice him at first. She simply moved toward one of the bookshelves nearby, rolling the ladder over so she could reach the higher shelves. Ahiru began to hum lightly, uncaring that it was painfully off-key as she began her work on the lower shelves, adjusting her apron as she went.

Oh god, that noise was grating on his ears. And not even the rain outside the window helped drown it out. He clenched his teeth in annoyance, shutting his book with a snap and sending a sharp glare in the girl's direction.

"Do you _mind_?"

"_GYAH_--!"

And down she went, the feather duster flying across the room and Ahiru landing right on her behind. She threw him a small glare. Why did _he_ have to be awake at this time? Of all of the Masters here, it _had_ to be him.

The universe hated her or something. "Sorry, _Master_. I didn't know you were there. Jerk…"

He shook his head at the display of clumsiness. Not that it was anything new with _her_, but it was still a sad sight to see. "I swear, you can't stay on your feet for more than five minutes at a time." Fakir then sent her a rather meaningful look.

"...And you'd better watch how you address me. I'm not deaf."

She snorted, rolling her eyes as she used the shelf to help herself to her feet. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, sorry, Master. Not really." With a huff, she made her way over to the side to pick up the feather duster. Honestly, he could've been a bit nicer once in a while. Why did he always have to be so mean?

Honestly, he still found her behavior odd. Out of all of the maids that were in his uncle's grand house, this one was the only one that really had an attitude. The rest were almost sickeningly obedient and apologetic, even when something happened that wasn't their own fault. And they were incredibly refined - the picture of grace.

But not this one. Hell, although it wasn't his problem that she was too blind to see him when she came in, she was probably blaming him for 'startling' her and putting her chain reaction mess-up into motion. Typical. After a few years of service here, he'd think she would have learned some better manners by now. But apparently not.

Fakir rolled his eyes.

"Well, hurry up and do your business and get out. "

Once more, Ahiru snorted, stomping back toward the bookshelf. "Hmph. Acting like some high-and-mighty...Such a big meanie... 'Do your business and get out,' he says. Well, fiiine, not like I wanna be around him anyway…"

And this entire time, she meant to talk to herself, not even knowing her thoughts were coming right out of her mouth, even as she mimicked his face and words.

Fakir couldn't help but raise an incredulous eyebrow at her antics.

Really. He was RIGHT THERE in the room. He could hear and see everything she did and said. And she was openly mocking him?

His scowl deepened before one side suddenly upturned, putting a rather nasty-looking smirk on his features. "Is that so... I suppose you would like to me speak to the head maid about your impertinent behavior, hm?"

Not that he would really bother, honestly. She kept things interesting, if nothing else. But he never missed a chance to threaten her. Just because he could. And because her reactions were often worth the trouble.

Her eyes narrowed. _Why_ did he have to bring that up all the time? Acting so...so much...more important than her or something--!

...Well, then again, she was nothing but the maid. But still. A little understanding and respect would be nice...

She whirled around, glaring at him. "Y-You know what? Go ahead and tell her about my imper-impertant behavior! I don't care! Since you're soooo important and almighty and ooooh, I'm a Master of a house I'm scaaaary!"

Immature? Certainly. But after years of dealing with him, she's had it up to here all ready.

Would she _ever_ grow up? ...No, likely not. He rolled his eyes again, leaning back into the plush chair. "Go ahead, huh. You don't care, huh."

Fakir studied her lazily, still holding his book in one hand. He could think of one thing that WOULD make her care. But like hell if he would ever ask the head maid to arrange _that_. He saw enough of her as it was. And getting a big reaction out of her was not worth making himself suffer in the process.

"Are you _trying_ to get thrown out of here? You can't take a single criticism about your poor conduct and skills without turning into a little _shrew_. Pathetic."

"Sh-Shrew--?"

...Yeah, she had no clue what that was supposed to mean, but no way could it mean anything good if it came from this guy's mouth. She crossed her arms again, stomping her foot. "I take criticism fine! I just don't like it when people just go ahead and be _mean_ about it like _some_ people here!"

"The truth hurts, doesn't it?"

He re-opened his book, idly fiddling through the pages. "If you want respect, you have to _earn_ it. And from day one, you seem to think muttering insults and names under your breath and mocking me is the way to get me to be nice to you. Hilarious."

Her grip tightened around the feather duster. Like someone like him would ever bother to give someone like her respect. She was just a maid. No one bothered to try and see anything other than that. Ahiru knew for a fact that she could never be like the other maids here. Not in a million years.

So who was she supposed to be then?

All the same, she kept her mouth shut, unable to answer him, and turned back to the bookshelf. She began her work--but not really. She wasn't really focusing on it.

Fakir glanced up after she had gone silent and set about her dusting. She had certainly shut up faster than he anticipated this time. Had he struck a nerve with just that?

...And why did he feel slightly... _disappointed_?

True, she did have a spark to her that he kind of sort of liked in some really odd way. But she was also annoying as hell half of the time. So wasn't it more of a blessing that she had closed her mouth?

He lowered the book, watching her closely as she worked, as if that would somehow give him the answer to his own wayward thoughts.

...Ahiru didn't like silences. Even with the raindrops pattering against the large window on the far wall, it was still too quiet for her to be comfortable. But she remained quiet. Because if she remained quiet, then so would he, and then she wouldn't get riled up and start acting like the anti-maid.

Why didn't the other maids act like her? Or why couldn't she act like the other maids? Whenever the Masters and Mistresses were cruel or unfair to them, they'd accept it and even _apologize_! But why would they? They've done nothing to deserve the that the right way to handle things as a maid? She couldn't accept that. She _wouldn't_...

And by now, she stopped dusting altogether; it was always hard for her to think deeply and do work at the same time.

Fakir raised and eyebrow when she halted, looking rather like she was staring into nothing.

...Was she day-dreaming or something? Hn. It wouldn't be the first time. Another thing that set her apart from the others was how easily distracted she was. It took her a long time to even complete simple tasks, sometimes, just due to how she wasn't able to _stay_ focused.

Inefficient, clumsy, disobedient, loud and obnoxious, fiery temper, awkward in so many ways... how did she ever become a maid in the first place? She was everything they were trained _not_ to be.

Which thankfully meant, that out of the dozens of them in this house, at least _one_ of them retained a personality. The rest were like drones. And quite frankly, he wasn't sure if he was just aggravated by their perfection and professionalism, or if they sort of even creeped him out, in a way. Who would be _that_ dedicated to a family of wealthy people? Losing your individualism was like losing _yourself_.

He almost smirked wryly at that thought. Hadn't that been the same for those of his status, too? Strip who you are and become someone else for the sake of your family and your family's appearance and expectations. Spend your life studying and growing up to be what someone else wants you to be. Have the most expected out of you for _everything_. Have your marriage arranged. Have your whole goddamn _**life**_ arranged. And not be able to lift a damn finger in protest.

...Damn. He didn't want to think about this right now. He had come in here to enjoy a book and escape, if only until the rest of the family was awake. Then his time would no longer be his.

And a moment later, lightning flashed across the sky and thunder boomed. Ahiru was yanked out of her thoughts and squeaked in shock and fear, once more dropping the feather.

She hated storms. Really. She preferred sunshine. Or light drizzling. But no storms. And she fought the immense urge to literally dive under the table in , she looked rather ridiculous, staring frightfully out the window, knees knocking together.

What a fantastic morning. Yes, the universe hated her.

It was near impossible to miss her yelp in the silence of the room. But the fact that she was afraid of something like thunder was strangely comforting to the wealthy young man. Just another thing to prove that someone else here was still human.

...Maybe it wouldn't hurt to let her off the hook again. He'd done it before for various reasons, but he always masked it over with indifference or some excuse about how she was bothering him or how inefficient she was for whatever job it was. Or as in the case with the broken antique vase, he'd taken the fall for her without even telling her. Even if he'd claimed to her that he was going to let his uncle know what she did right away. When it came down to it, despite his common threats to her, the last thing he wanted was for her to get fired or sent away.

And in this case... well, this was definitely not the best room in the mansion to be in if you were frightened of thunderstorms. But he knew a few that didn't have windows and were far from the outskirts of the mansion.

Fakir cleared his throat. "You aren't getting much work done here anyway, so move on the dining room and prepare it for breakfast." He waved a hand offhandedly before feigning interest back in his book. "I'll have another maid finish dusting this later."

She forced her apprehensive gaze away from the window to stare at him in surprise.

To be honest, she really _did_ want to leave. It was quiet, except for the thunder, and she hated both of them. So why stay?

First of all, despite what she had told him earlier about not caring, she _did_ care. She didn't want to be fired. She had nothing outside of this place. They picked her up from an orphanage, and now she was too old to go back. She would end up living on the streets. If the head maid, who was a lot less nice to her for obvious reasons, were to find out she skipped out on the library duties, she would be fired for sure and tossed out into the world with nothing. After all, dusting the shelves in the library gave the opportunity for her to produce minimal damage to the estate.

And secondly...as much as she would _never_ admit it out in the open, being around Master Fakir wasn't...so bad. And she often tried to convince herself that he was horrible and should be avoided at all costs.

But...he paid attention to her. Not good attention by any means, but he actually talked to her as if she existed, and as if she was more than just a speck of dirt on the ground.

She'd rather deal with his criticisms than the sneers and superior looks she received from the rest of the family. "...I-I don't think they want me to help with breakfast...so I'll just...stay or something."

Fakir looked up in mild shock, blinking uncomprehendingly.

She wanted to _stay_? After he'd given her a perfect way out - away from the thunder and away from him? Two for one and she turned it down?

_...Weird girl,_ he thought, and not for the first time. Though he supposed maybe she didn't want to be around the other maids. He could sympathize. The drone team with their plastic smiles and almost mechanical bows were not the sort of company he liked to keep, either. In that case... which of the other rooms would be sufficient?

"Hn. I guess broken dishes wouldn't be a great surprise for the rest of the family to wake up to. Head to the parlor, then. That needs to be cleaned up far more than this room needs dusting."

There. Another windowless room far away from the outside walls of the mansion. She could thank him later. ...Only she wouldn't, but he was far used to this by now. And like hell if he wanted to explain his true motives anyway.

Everything was easier when she thought he was merely an asshole who abused his status as power.

And that was exactly what she thought. Maybe he really was getting sick of her if he kept giving her all these excuses to leave him alone. Well, the better to annoy him, she supposed. And with that, she began to walk toward him, leaving the feather duster on the ground...and speeding up her pace when thunder rumbled once more.

She plopped down in the seat right in front of him, sighed heavily and sank into the plush material of the chair, looking hunched over and slouching. Not a very dignified posture in the least.

Her lips formed a tiny pout. "It's boring in the parlor. And your uncle always smokes in there. I don't want to smell like it this early in the morning if he's all ready up."

That...and he gave her strange looks sometimes. It really freaked her out.

Here she was slacking off, using one of the mistress's favorite chairs, complaining about the highest master of the house, and looking not unlike a child who was being told to go and take a nap. Both of his brows raised in amusement.

"Are you _sure_ you're a maid?"

Even WITH his discreet assistance, he sometimes wondered how she managed to hold onto the job for this long. Comparing her to the other maid was like comparing night and day. There pretty much WAS nothing to compare. Besides maybe the outfits that they were all required to wear. That's where the similarities began and ended.

Fakir pulled out his pocket watch, flipping the silver top back and glancing at the numbers. "...He shouldn't be up for at least a half hour yet. He sleeps in slightly later on Sundays."

Which was something he discovered and periodically timed, if just to be absolutely certain of how much free time he could scrape before his unwanted daily schedule started.

She had to furrow her eyebrows in confusion at his question. Of course she was a maid. She was wearing the uniform. And she received no acknowledgment from the rest of the family. Except the uncle. But he was just weird or something.

"Well, uhh, yeah? What else would I be?"

...She would much rather be recognized for being herself, but fat chance that was. Maybe she would've been able to be known had she been able to afford the dance classes she had always dreamed of taking.

At the comment about the highest master's sleep schedule, she had to snort a bit. "Do you always keep track of things like that?"

His brows creased together. He'd _expected_ as much of an answer from her, but still. He thought that one was pretty obvious. "It's called _sarcasm_, moron. You act nothing like the rest of them."

Upon hearing her snort along with her last question, he quickly snapped the watch shut and shoved it back into his pocket. Hell only knows what _she_ thought of that habit of his, but at least he could take a little pride in knowing that she was certainly far off the mark.

"Hmph. Of course I do."

And he had to, regardless. When you lived by the clock and lived by other people's expectations, you had to be punctual. Always. Nothing less was accepted. Not in this family.

Sometimes he really wished his real parents never died. He didn't ask for this pompous, controlled lifestyle of the rich and self-entitled. And he sure as hell didn't want it. Why his father's brother had been so interested in raising him was beyond Fakir. From what he could remember of his father and uncle, they didn't get along at all. And that was putting it nicely.

He really wondered just what his uncle gained from taking him into this family. There didn't seem to be a single reason for it that he could see.

"...Yeah, you're right. I don't act like them."

She really didn't know whether to take this as a good or a bad thing. Ahiru really wanted nothing to do with those mindless maids, but at the same time, she felt excluded from them as well as from the family they served. So, she didn't belong anywhere, it seemed.

Ahiru shifted so she sat straighter in the chair, bringing her stocking-clad legs up to her chest beneath her flouncy maid uniform. What reasons could he have for keeping track of those things? "Oh. Why? You always seem to look at that thing. Are you in some kind of hurry?"

For just a brief moment, he imagined the look of horror on the mistress's face if she could see the redhead now - shoes up on her favorite chair. How much they all cared about the state of... every material possession in this house was unbelievable. A chair, a vase, a book, a dish - somehow all of that ugly, practically useless junk was worth an insane amount of money. Stupid. So damn stupid.

Fakir then blinked at her question, eyebrows raising in disbelief. It was impossible for her not to be aware that he was running around on a schedule all day, every day. It wasn't a secret. It was the way things always worked here.

He scoffed. "What do you _think_, moron? I have to know what time it is so I can be where I have to be throughout the day."

"...Huh. You, too?"

So even the family she served was rushed about things. Really, Ahiru couldn't stand being on a schedule. It took her forever to get up in the morning, and just as long to do the simplest of tasks.

"Wish everyone would just...I dunno. Slow down every so often."

"Yes, idiot. Just because I'm not a servant doesn't mean I'm not expected to follow a different schedule."

How she didn't already know that was beyond him, but he decided not to dwell on it. When it came down to it, it hardly mattered whether she knew that or he nearly snorted at her last comment. "Don't count on it. Because the chances of that ever happening are slim, at best."

She rested her chin on her knees with a sigh. Everyone had to follow a schedule here. How boring. But that explained the overall lack of spontaneity on the part of the family she was supposed to serve. They never went on vacations, or even visited the other mansions they had in other locations.

"...We should ditch or something."

"Ditch?"

He almost wanted to laugh. Really, he did. If he were capable of such a thing.

...Not that he hadn't thought of doing something similar numerous times. And even tried. The furthest he had ever made it was the gates - and there he was caught, and forced to spit out an excuse for being that far out on the property when he was supposed to be with his tutor. They kept an annoyingly close eye on him for awhile after that. Ironic how his 'home' had become something of a prison.

"...It's not that easy, you know. To get out of here."

And it was at this point that Ahiru thought she figured it out. The way Master Fakir responded...saying that it wasn't easy. As if he knew. Whereas, the rest of the family would immediately punish her for saying such a had to be something more to him. Why else would he act so differently than the rest? Kind of like herself in some ways.

So, for the first time, she smiled at him.

"...There's a back door in the servants' quarters, y'know. It connects to the stables and out into the town. If we let the horses loose, everyone'll be distracted…"

Maybe what they both needed was to get out of there for just a day.

Fakir placed his book down beside him and seriously stopped to consider her suggestion.

There was one big flaw in it that he could see. But... he thought _he_ might have a way out of that. He should have tried it the first time, and then maybe it wouldn't have mattered if he was caught or not. "Hn. Distraction isn't the biggest problem. I could outrun those idiots any day if I needed to."

Indeed, all of his training was good for _something_. He had honed quite a few physical skills that would be much more helpful somewhere _out_ and away from this damn mansion.

But...

"The gates are the problem. They're always locked, and only my uncle has the key. And they're too steep to climb. However…"

He paused, and looked out the window, where the rain was still pouring down in buckets. "I think I could jump it. On horseback. If I can get enough distance."

Her grin took on a rather mischievous look as her voice hushed, her eyes glancing toward the door to the library. "I say go for it. Even if it's raining."

He turned toward her and finally saw her smile, which suddenly seemed to remind him about something that confounded him above everything else.

"Why would you want to leave with me, anyway? I thought you despised me."

Unless she just wanted his assistance in getting out. Fakir couldn't blame her for that. And he supposed he could do that much. After all, he doubted that she knew how to ride on horseback, much less control the horses properly. He sighed.

"...You want a way out, right? I guess if there's somewhere in particular that you want to go, I can take you that far."

Ahiru had to stop and think about this for a moment. Why _did_ she want to leave with him? Certainly, she wanted to get out of here, but...The thought of getting out with _him_ seemed to make it...more exciting, perhaps? It was strange. She never tried to think of him fondly before. But maybe she sort of enjoyed the little spats they'd have. And even if he often said he'd tell the Master about her breaking or ruining things...she still wasn't out on the streets.

She lowered her legs from her chest to sit properly on the chair, head tilted in thought. "...I just wanna get out for a day is all. Even if you are a jerk, at least you bother to talk to me.

"And I really have nowhere in particular to go…"

"A day?"

He honestly wondered if she could get away with even that. He knew he could - they would be ticked off, surely, and have him watched on a normal basis after pulling such a stunt. But he didn't think they would put up with it from this maid. Could he lie her out of trouble again? Perhaps, but...

To be entirely honest, once he crossed that gate, he didn't even plan to come back. This wasn't the life for him. He wanted his _own_ life and to make his own choices. Plus there was that itching feeling that his uncle was planning something. With all of his lessons that revolved around combat and weapons, he had the sneaking suspicion that his uncle intended to send him off to war across the seas. And he wanted no part of that.

"...Hn. I don't know if that's going to work. Unless I claimed that I made you go with me. But…" He paused there, and looked toward the window again, eyes following the droplets down the pane. Fakir didn't really want to tell her this, but there seemed to be no way around it. "I don't intend to return to this place."

"...Claimed that you…" Her eyebrow rose. "Why would you take the heat for me anyway? That's kinda...weird."

And at his last comment, she glanced away. Well, freedom did sound tempting. And surely Master Fakir would be able to build himself a good, solid life to live.

But she were to leave...what would she have? She had no skills, not even as a maid. She had no connections, no family, no friends. So what was better? She was probably going to end up miserable either way.

She quickly masked her internal conflict with a small smile, hopefully hiding her disappointment. She'd all ready decided anyway. Outside, she had nothing. Here, at least she had food to eat and a place to sleep, even if she was met with scoldings and disapproving gazes and absolute and utter misery for the rest of her life.

Even if...it will be boring without Master Fakir around.

"Ah. Maybe you should just go on your own then."

She'd only slow him down in any case. And at least she was able to, in some way, convince him to get out.

Fakir mentally winced. Damn, he had just indirectly said he'd cover for her, didn't he?

He supposed he could just tell her the truth, but... she didn't seem interested in going unless she had a way back. And if he came back, he didn't doubt that it would become almost impossible to leave successfully again. Was one day of freedom even worth it? ...No. He wanted _out_. Completely. He wanted to break the chains that held him down to this home and to this family that he never asked for. Would that show that he was ungrateful for what he had until this point? Perhaps, but he never cared about those things. Who wanted a cold family who thought they were superior to everyone? Who wanted a life of choices not their own? Who wanted to be someone else's pawn for the rest of their lives?

All the same, the maid obviously wasn't thrilled about having to remain here with the drone maids and his haughty blood-relatives, either. He didn't even know why she stayed here as long as she had, unless it was just because she had nowhere to go.

...Fakir couldn't understand that. He had nowhere to go, either. But that wouldn't stop him - he was going to FIND a place to go. He didn't want to rely on this forced family.

"Perhaps." He finally agreed with a short nod. "If you're content to stay here, then so be it. I'm not letting these people run my life for me anymore. I want one that I can call my own."

Once more, she brought her knees up to her chest.

She admired him. For once. Because just a few moments ago, she never would have thought that he felt this way about his lifestyle. In that, he had earned her respect. So, despite the unshed tears in her eyes, she gave him a tiny smile.

He was going out to take control of his life. The way she wanted to, had she the means...and the courage. At least Master Fakir had skills and knowledge and education. He could work with those. He could find himself a job and build himself a long, fulfilling life. Would she be able to do that? Life was...hard out there in the world for a young girl like her all alone. And she would _never_ resort to some of the things other women did for other choice did she have other than to stay here? Where it was safe? And lonely...

She said nothing, and simply buried her head in her arms, a tearful smile still on her face.

He wasn't sure just what to make of that expression on her face. Why the hell would she bother smiling when she looked so sad? Was that her way of silently saying she relied too much on this family to give her a stable and secure life? Even if it was obvious that she wanted something more?

It... irritated him. Giving up wasn't an option if you really wanted something. It just WASN'T.

"_Idiot_. You don't really want to stay here, do you? But you're giving up because you have no better options?" He turned away with a huff, crossing his arms. "I don't understand giving up so easily. The reality of a life that's your own is taking risks. Chancing - hell, even _knowing_ that you'll fall. And that it won't be easy to get back up again.

"...But you do what you want. If you wish to take the easy way out, be my guest. If you want the chance for a harder road, but something of your _own_, you don't have long to think it over."

And with that, he got to his feet.

"I'm going to pack a few things. Everyone will be up soon, and I intend to disappear before they can even figure out I'm missing." He started walking toward the library doors, and stopped about halfway, glancing over his shoulder.

"If you change your mind, I'll be at the back door of the servant's quarters in about ten minutes. But I'm not waiting around."

...Why was he getting _upset_ at her? Why did he even care enough to tell her all this? Well, certainly, it had been her idea from the start, but Master Fakir couldn't possibly care about her and her life anyway. So why...?

...Even if he was right. Living a life of your own was about taking risk. What she had here...wasn't a yet, all she could think was _why would he even care_?Ten minutes to decide. Ten minutes that would determine what kind of life she would lead. Take it or leave it. Now or never. And the choice presented itself so suddenly.

She remained curled into a ball on the chair, mind whirring. Ten minutes.

Fakir left the library without another word, and headed toward the kitchen. First things first, he needed _some_ food to take along, just in case there was trouble on the road ahead. Which there likely would be. There was a forest to cross before the nearest town could be reached - and even there would only be a brief stop. Enough to rest and eat and then move on. He didn't want to stay anywhere that those rich fools could track him down.

After gathering a decent amount of rations, he haphazardly packed them into a knapsack and shouldered it, quick steps carrying him out of the kitchen and making a beeline upstairs for his room.

He couldn't worry about the maid. She was probably confused and wondering why he was even bothering to offer her a way out. And she had every reason to be wary or suspicious. He always seemed to be trying to get her in trouble, even if it was just the opposite. And he figured that she didn't really need to know the truth. He would miss her if she stayed here, but... well, that was that. He couldn't dwell on it. If this was her choice, then it was her life to choose. Just as he was choosing his own. But he at least gave her the option, because she deserved a chance.

He threw open his door carelessly and quickly stuffed a few essentials into his knapsack with the food. There wasn't much needed, considering most of his possessions here were worthless to him. And once he finished, he gave the room one last glance before he shut the door and headed back downstairs. Amidst his quick pace toward the servant's area, he pulled the pocketwatch out of his slacks and gauged his time.

His uncle would be up in less than five minutes. He really had to act _now_. If the rest of the servants were able to get to the stables before he could prepare one horse in particular for riding, the entire plan would fail. And unfortunately, as good as the maid's suggestion was, letting loose and scaring all of the horses into making a ruckus would not be too smart if he wanted to ride on one and have an open path to the gate.

Ignoring the few practiced greetings from various servants and maids that he passed, Fakir made his way straight to the back door. And subsequently fought down vague disappointment when there was not a redhead waiting there.

So... it seemed she had made her decision. But that couldn't stop him from making his.

…A few minutes after Fakir left the library, Ahiru made her decision.

It was _her_ idea in the first place! He wasn't going to just steal her idea and leave without her! She wouldn't let him!

...That, and everything he said...

She wanted her own life. She wanted to make her own choices and build something of her own. If she stayed here, Ahiru would never, ever own anything. No matter how different she was from the other maids, no one would see her as anything more than that. In fact, she'd probably be known as the worst maid in the mansion for the rest of her life.

But she wanted to be herself now. It was time that she took her life into her own hands.

With that thought, she stood, and ran for the door. She had no possessions, so there was nothing for her to pack. But on the way, she shed her apron and bonnet, her braid falling from the crown of her head to flap haphazardly behind her as she dashed through the halls. The rest of the servants and maids didn't pay her any mind; Ahiru was always acting idiotically, and it was just a matter of time before one of the Masters or Mistresses caught her and punished her.

As she approached the servants' quarters, her heart raced, and she didn't allow herself to stop and think about her decision.

She just prayed that Master Fakir hadn't all ready left.

After feeding a lie to the few lingering and questioning servants, Fakir ordered them away without a second thought. At least his path as far as the stables wouldn't be interrupted now. It wasn't all that strange for him to go out there and visit with his favorite horse when he had the opportunity (and hell, they were better company than most of the people in the mansion, anyway), and so the servants hadn't even cast him a strange or suspicious glance.

And now his path was clear. Fakir wrenched the door open without another thought, shielding his eyes as he looked out through the cascades of water falling from the sky.

The weather conditions weren't preferable at all for what he was going to attempt, but he didn't care. He knew he could do it. And he knew the horse that wouldn't let him down.

Flipping open his pocketwatch one last time, he studied the second hand as it came closer to the scripted number twelve at the top. Eleven minutes and forty-six seconds. Why was he still waiting? Why did it matter to him whether or not she took this opportunity?

Ahiru literally burst through the servants' quarters' door, snatching the ratty, patched up blanket from her cot in the room. She had to make it. As she ran, she quickly wrapped the blanket around her shoulders.

Please still be there...This was her only chance.

Fakir sighed, snapping his pocketwatch closed and slipping it back into his pocket. His uncle would be getting up now. He couldn't wait around for the girl.

And chances were, she wasn't even coming. She was at least more content to live a controlled life than to set foot on her own, apparently.

And just like that, the back door burst open, and the frantic redhead slammed directly into his back, the collision sending her right back down to the floor on her bottom.

"Y-Yowch!"

Nononono, this was slowing her down! She had to make it before Master Fakir left...!

"GAH!"

Not having noticed her approach at all, the impact from behind sent Fakir flailing out forward into the rain, landing on his hands and knees in the mud with a squelching splat.

...Fantastic. Who would be so damn clumsy as to--

But he knew the answer to that question before he even got up and glanced behind him. And sure enough, the redhead was on the other side of the door.

...So she had come, after all. He was warring between something oddly like relief, and annoyance at the fact that he was already soaked and filthy. Shaking his drenched hair out of its loose ponytail, he looked back toward the fallen girl, not even bothering to come back in out of the rain.

"Changed your mind, have you?"

She slowly dragged herself back to her feet, and his voice registered in her she couldn't stop the bright smile from lighting up her face. She wasn't too late! He hadn't left yet! Without another thought, she scampered forward into the rain, taking the ratty blanket off her shoulders to offer it to him. It wasn't a gesture of a maid giving up her possessions for the Master. It was a gesture from a girl who was so happy that someone waited for her, intentionally or not...and the fact that it was her fault he was all wet and muddy.

Even as she stood in the pouring rain, quickly becoming soaked to the bone, she could all ready taste her freedom.

"Mm! Let's go! I couldn't let you take my idea and just leave me behind!"

He casually pushed the blanket back with a shake of his head.

"Keep it. I'm fine. We're going to get soaked and dirty from riding in this weather anyway, anyway, so it doesn't matter."

And she would probably need it more than he did, given the maid apparel that she was still wearing.

"...All right, then. Follow me. There's only one horse I trust for this." And with that, he started off for the stables, adjusting the strap of the sack on his shoulder as his steps increased in speed. They didn't have much time and he still needed to saddle it up--now with room for two people. Hopefully she would still be able to make the jump...

She rewrapped the blanket around her, and quickly scampered after him, clutching the cloth tightly around horse. He must be talking about that horse he rode the most often. Ahiru often watched him from the castle windows. That horse in particular must've been his favorite one.

Fakir pulled open the doors to the stables with little difficulty, and ignored the chorus of whinnies that greeted him from within as he made his way toward the back.

There, at the very end, was a chestnut-colored mare with a straw-yellow mane and tail. She had earned the nickname 'Wild Mare' due to her temperment, but Fakir mused that maybe it was due to her troublesome nature that he got along as well as he did with her. Wasting no time, he pulled the largest saddle down off of the side of the stable next to her and approached the horse, patting her face lightly before he went to set her up for riding.

"Got a bit of a challenge for you, today... if you're up for it. But I think it's going to get us out of here for good. You don't really want to stay stuck here either, do you?" The horse whinnied in what seemed like agreement as Fakir set the final straps to secure the saddle into place.

Ahiru followed in, watching with wide eyes at the scene before her. Fakir was always known for being far kinder to his horse than to anyone else. And it was almost heartwarming to see this other side of him. She almost felt rather...disappointed for not trying to get to know more about him, and instead, spent all that time arguing and picking on him.

She approached quietly, fiddling with her long braid and the wet strands of hair that hung in front of her face, smiling at the mare.

Hearing the light footsteps behind him, Fakir glanced over his shoulder just as he tightened the last belt and adjusted the saddle on top of the horse. "Have you ever ridden before...?" He doubted that most of the servants ever did anything besides groom the animals in the stable, but with this girl... well, he could never tell. She was different from the others.

Ahiru stepped closer, reaching up to stroke the mare's face tentatively and lightly. She was very beautiful, and it'd been so long. Ahiru spoke absently, almost as if to herself. "A few times. With my dad. I once rode all by myself, too, but he was right beside me. And he even let me ride with one leg on either side because I thought it was more comfy."

His eyes widened slightly. Not that he knew about her life before she came to the mansion, but he wouldn't expect that someone as young as her had any experience in riding that early on.

...Well, at least that would make this somewhat easier if he didn't have to worry about her falling off or freaking out. And with that thought, he hoisted himself up onto the horse, swinging one leg over the side and sitting as far forward as he could manage. Then he held a hand out to the redhead below.

"Well, come on, then. We need to get out of here. Someone would have gone to wake me up, so they're probably looking by now."

With a deep breath, she immediately grasped Master Fakir's hand, using his support to lift herself up and behind him onto the horse.

This was it. She was going to build her own life now.

...How strange. It was happening all so quickly...On instinct, and remembering what her father had told her when she sat behind him, her arms curled around Master Fakir's waist for support. After all, she didn't have the reigns.

Fakir really wasn't sure why that made heat rush to his face, but with just the simple curve of her arms around his middle, he could feel himself blushing. Okay, so maybe he just wasn't used to being touched by girls at all. The maids and servants had offered to help bathe him many times, but he vehemently turned them down. He preferred his privacy. Not that this was _anything_ like that--but he still wasn't accustomed to it.

_Just don't think about it,_ he chided himself with an effort, he swallowed his nerves down and took the horse's reigns, giving them a quick, small snap. And that set the animal into a trot, heading for the open stable door on the other side. Fakir cleared his throat.

"There's a chance this might... turn into a mess if it doesn't work, so... just be prepared for that. I can't guarantee anything."

Ahiru didn't know whether he was talking to her or the mare, but nodded anyway, readying herself.

"It's worth it, I think."

And it was. Because with a single leap, if all went well, they would have their freedom. And that was all it took.

"Hn. Yeah... it is."

And with that, the horse trodded right out into the sheets of rain, gradually picking up speed, and Fakir snapped the reigns down once more to coax her into a full gallop alongside the long, dark shadow cast down from the towering mansion.

Hecould see the gates in the far distance, but the more speed they accumulated beforehand, the better the chance of making that bound. Especially with the windy downpour coming from above.

Just after passing about half of his previous 'home' by, the young man heard voices erupt from behind them, straining through the wind and rain.

"Master Fakir! This is not weather for riding!"

"What in the BLAZES are you doing, boy! Bring yourself and that maid back here **this instant**!"

Fakir didn't even bother looking back and urged the horse onward. He felt a slight embarrassment at the thought that it might look like they were _eloping_ or something, but he pushed the thought away. "Pay no attention to them. They can't do anything."

Ahiru uncurled one of her arms from Master Fakir's middle to quickly keep a hold of the blanket wrapped around her shoulders as they began to speed up, the rain pouring down and soaking her to the bone. She instinctively leaned closer against Master Fakir's back, feeling strangely...safer, as well as warmer.

But that was when the voices came, and she squinted through the fog toward the figures. They were found out! Did they have to go back now--?

But when they only kept going, and she heard Master Fakir's words, her expression hardened just slightly, and she nodded. "R-Right...Let's...Let's just go…" Her arm tightened around his waist for emphasis.

The outbursts from behind gradually faded into the distance, drowned out by the pouring rain and howling winds. Fakir's lips pulled into a thin line as he snapped the reigns once more and caused the horse to whinny as she literally took off like a bolt. He struggled to keep his eyes open through the storm--focused intently on the stone gate up ahead. It was coming... very soon. They _had_ to make this leap into freedom.

"Ahiru. Hold on tight. And whatever you do, _don't let go_."

It was the first time he had ever used her name, but he couldn't dwell on that right now. He had to make sure that he had her attention. If she let go before or during the jump, she'd go flying off the back end of the horse. And he didn't want to chance that happening.

The use of her name did not go unnoticed

Not only had he actually said it, but he _knew_ it. He somehow knew her name. And remembered it.

Her arm tightened its hold around his middle and she leaned forward, bracing herself against his back. She was so close, she was certain he could probably feel her racing heart. Both from the closeness, and from what was about to one single jump. One leap. And then...Then what? She didn't know. She had no clue what would happen from there. But at least, as Master Fakir had said earlier, it would belong to her.

"...I won't…"

Fakir blocked out the press of her from behind as much as he could manage, focusing on the goal ahead and preparing. The coast was clear. The wind might become a hindrance from the angle it was blowing, but he was confident that his horse could make this leap. He had faith in his hold on the reigns, he readied the foot in the stirrup on the right, lifting it away from the body of the animal. The gate's wall was ... closer... three... two... one...!

He brought his foot back in and impacted the horse's side, provoking her to release a loud whinny and gallop straight into a jump, which just barely cleared the stone wall before thudding down on all fours on the other side.

After a moment, Fakir just sat there, unmoving, eyes wide and breath caught somewhere in his throat. And then that breath released in a combination of relief and adrenaline."Yes... _Yes_... We're--we're _free_…"

...Just...just like that? In an instant, her life was changed. With a single jump. And...and now she was on the other side of that wall. She was at the start of her new life. Everything...everything she would do from now on would be...her was so shocked, it took a moment before she could finally released Fakir, and she fiddled absently with the blanket around her shoulders...._Free_, he said. Free...

"...Fakir...?"

He wasn't her master anymore, after all.

And to say the least, the sound of his name on her lips…was strangely pleasant. Maybe it was because of his sudden freedom that caught him in such a good mood. It was just a girl saying his name, after all.

Nonetheless, despite himself, he found his hand wandering around to find hers, gripping her fingers with his own.

"Come on. Let's…just go from here."

Oddly enough, she could only bring herself to cling to his hand, resting her forehead against his back. No connections, no money, no home…

…But in the back of her mind, she sort of just _knew_ that Fakir wouldn't just leave her. Maybe, all this time, that was all she needed.


	2. Between the Pages

Author's Note: Hey all! Once again, this is HermiaSD, playing Ahiru in this story again. This is our second chapter, and we're glad that the first was well-received! We hope you enjoy this next one~!

Author's Note 2: Annnnd Manda-chan, here, playing the role of Fakir yet again! This chapter is actually based from an RP universe, so I apologize for the world confusion - and this is definitely not the first time for this Ahiru and Fakir. If you want, just think of it as any random library, though XD And thanks a lot for the feedback on the first chapter I hope you'll like this one, as well! We have much more in store!

**WARNING**: This chapter (and quite a few others to come) has **_NC-17_** content. Yes. Sexyteimz. Smut. If that bothers you, please skip over this!

* * *

Spending time at the library was nothing new to Fakir. Even on the island of Atia.

The ex-knight commonly went there to find any information on the island he could (which was always a search that was in vain), or just to pick up new reading material. After all, reading one was of his favorite distractions. He enjoyed chess, of course, but it seemed nothing would ever top a good book, in his opinion.

...However, he really wasn't here today just to look for some interesting books. He was here to gather information on something a bit more... Well, he was looking for something he definitely _wasn't_ planning to take back to the studio with him. Just the chance that Ahiru might unwittingly stumble across it was mortifying to consider. So he decided that he would have to look over the material while he was here.

The library was large, but quiet, thankfully, so Fakir didn't have worry about random strangers approaching him. And the general structure of the interior made it easy to find niches where he could read out of plain sight - and the bookshelves towered high for extra privacy. Thus, with just a hint of color to his cheeks, he pulled two books from the 'adult' section and hastily made his way out of the aisle and back to the small area behind the furthest bookcase where he had left his satchel and writing materials. And without further ado, he sat down and dropped both books on the desk in front of him, right beside a small stack of paper and his pen.

Fakir flipped the top book open and skimmed the contents, feeling a bit of heat raise to his cheeks. It was odd that he even gave a damn about learning to write these types of scenes 'properly', but he had never quite gotten over the embarrassment of what had happened with the magazine he had signed up to work for. And since then, he swore he was going to learn to write it - and well, if just to prove that bastard wrong. Even if he was long since gone from the island.

And with that thought in mind, he continued skimming through the first text, only stopping to read through the parts that contained what he was looking for. Despite the fact that the story and its characters had absolutely nothing to do with himself or anyone he knew on the island, he couldn't help but...

_No_, dammit. This was stupid. He was just gathering information. Nothing more, nothing less.

Inwardly shaking his head, he tried to silently fight down the flush in his face as he resumed reading.

Ahiru had begun to make frequent visits to the Atian library as of late.

She had heard about so many wonderful things to research from several people on the island. People told her about how they loved to study and learn about all different sorts of things like the history of Christmas, and Ahiru wanted to do so as well. Even if she could barely sit still and pay attention to a book that wasn't even a story, she wanted to try at least.

Ahiru had all ready taken Courage, her black Labrador canine companion, on his daily walk, and trusted the puppy-well, he was quickly growing into a dog by now-to behave in the dance studio and stay out of Fakir's room. Fakir wasn't home when she left, but she wrote up a note for him anyway, just in case he came back and worried about where she was.

Maybe he'd appreciate that she was making an effort to learn and read about new things.

So, she stepped into the library, adjusting the small bag that hung over her shoulder and by her hip, and began making her way to the furthest bookcase where she left off since her last venture through the shelves.

It hadn't even crossed Fakir's mind that Ahiru would ever come to the library of her own accord, since she didn't seem to have any real interest in (or the attention span for) most books from what he could tell, so he was oblivious to her arrival completely.

And the current scene in the book he was reading was obviously just what he had been looking for - and so detailed and graphic to the point that it was difficult not to picture it. And even more difficult not to imagine the two lead characters as...

He felt ashamed of himself for even thinking it. This was just meant to be part of a random goal he had set for himself to prove he could write this sort of thing. Not to sit here and read the information material to fantasize about things that were highly inappropriate.

However, in all honesty, it was hard not to. This piece of erotica was certainly a lot better than any of the tiny pieces of junk he had tried to write, before. And while he knew he should be taking notes on things to help with his own writing, he was becoming too involved in the scene to pull back and do what he came here to do.

...Fakir never thought that having sex outside in the rain could sound this appealing with mere words.

Ahiru passed that final bookshelf, and her eyes immediately landed on the dark-haired young man sitting by the desk.

So this is where he went. She wasn't very surprised; Fakir loved to read and write, so he was probably here with a story or looking over more information about something or another. Ahiru wasn't really sure. But if he had his writing materials with him, then he might've been doing something important. Especially considering that focused look on his face on whatever he was currently reading.

Either way, she was happy to see him. When she spoke, her voice was hushed. The library was large and there weren't a lot of people, but it was still a library. That Autor person back home told her to be quiet enough for it to become a habit to be as quiet as possible in a place like this.

"Hi, Fakir!"

Since the silence of the area had been nearly absolute up to that point, Fakir's head jerked up in surprise upon hearing her voice. A jolt with so much force that he had to struggle to regain his balance before the chair - and him - went tumbling to the floor.

Blushing furiously, the writer swiftly snapped the book shut, flopped it down on the other one, and took his stack of papers and placed them on top of both - all in a matter of a few short seconds. With the books safely out of view, he finally looked up again, facing the redhead with forced nonchalance on his features. But damn it all, he could still feel a lot of heat flooding his cheeks.

Why on earth did _she_ have to show up here? And just happen to manage to stumble across him in the furthest reaches of the damn book facility? Something was seriously out to get him. Fakir was sure of it.

"W-What are you doing here, moron?" he questioned stiffly and quietly.

O...kay...?

That wasn't quite the greeting she expected. Maybe a slightly surprised, but simple acknowledgement, or perhaps a "Leave me alone; I'm busy," or, if he was in a really good mood, a relatively nice "Hey, Ahiru," coupled with a not-smile.

So she was understandably confused by his reaction, and Ahiru raised an eyebrow, blinking at him.

"...I'm...here to read."

Which really should have been obvious. What else do people do at libraries? She eyed the books he obviously hid from her with slight suspicion. "Um...what are _you_ doing?"

He raised an inquiring eyebrow at her. When and why had she taken such an interest in reading books?

Well, she _had_ been very adamant about reading his story, but Fakir never really considered that it extended to reading a lot of other books. It was difficult to think that she could actually sit through reading something decently long without being distracted. Maybe he wasn't giving her enough credit, but that's certainly the impression that he got.

"...When did you take such an interest in reading?"

And that was an honest question - and a good distraction from what he was 'gathering information' on. He was surprised by her appearance at the library, but also more than a bit curious. After all, she was _actively_ searching for books. Not just picking random ones off of his shelf.

Ahiru pouted, feeling a bit put-out by his question. What, did he think she was dumb or something? "People told me a lot about things I could learn if I tried studying or reading. Is it really so surprising?"

But her eyes landed right back on the books on the desk before him. He didn't answer her question, and she couldn't help but notice that. So she walked over, pushing back the papers on top of the books as casually as possible, trying to look as if she was merely curious instead of suspicious.

She might've been a lot more dim than some people, but she was learning to catch on to certain things, especially when it regarded Fakir and his behavior. Ahiru did live with him, after all. And she liked to believe she knew him well enough. Or at least more than most people would.

He had been about to answer her question, but instead gaped when she reached for the hidden books, pushing the papers out of the way. And as if by instinct, he fumbled to move the papers back into place as quickly as possible, and collapsed his arms down on top of the whole, shielding it from her. It made a bit more noise than he wanted, but at least... she probably didn't have the chance to see anything.

For a moment after a fumble, there was nothing but a tense silence. Then he cleared his throat and attempted to return to the former topic as casually as he could manage.

"...Of course it's surprising, moron. Your attention span is very short. And you never struck me as the bookish type." He paused, releasing a sigh. "It's not a bad thing, but you don't have to act offended just because I was a little startled to see you _here_, of all places."

For that period of silence, Ahiru just stared at him blankly. So he was hiding something from her. Well, this certainly wouldn't have been the first time. But he was so obvious, even _she _could tell that something was going on.

"...I just wanted to try something new...and learn a few more things I guess..."

After another moment, she sighed. "So, what're those books about?"

"Nevermind that. It's nothing important," he replied almost instantly, looking away from her and pulling the books down from the desk completely, situating them in his lap with the papers still covering over them.

Clearing his throat softly, he finally looked back up at her. And hoped he wasn't still goddamn blushing. "What are you looking for all the way back here, anyway?"

"...Because I left off here last time..."

She stared at him for a long moment, before circling the desk to stand right beside him, crossing her arms. Honestly, after all they'd been through, what could he possibly be hiding from her?

...Then again, maybe she deserved it for not telling him about finding his rather…mature stories on the top shelf...and then keeping them…reading them…

"And if it's not important, how come you're acting like it's a big secret or something?"

"Left off for what, exactly?"

He didn't try to turn to face her when she came alongside him, but he could easily tell that she was suspicious about his behavior regarding the books. Even _Ahiru_ could see past something that obvious. But had he not been quick, the embarrassment factor would have skyrocketed, without question. And he sure as hell did not want to explain what he was doing with those books.

"And don't worry about it, idiot. I said it's not important and that's all you need to know."

_Please let her leave it at that,_ he thought with an inward grimace.

"Left off where I was browsing."

Without another word, she huffed, immediately reaching down to his lap to grab at the books. If there was one thing she couldn't understand about Fakir, it was his habit of keeping things from her.

After everything they've been through, back home and here on the island, wouldn't he be able to share anything with her?

As soon as he saw her hands snake into view, he pushed them away roughly and gave her a glare, placing his hands firmly on either side of the books and papers to hold them in place.

"_No_! Keep your hands to yourself, dammit!"

The words released with a much louder voice than he would have liked, but Fakir could care less. He couldn't think of any nicer way to put it and he was a bit on edge now.

Either way, she already knew he had something he didn't want her to see. And he definitely wasn't intending to leave an opening to let her get at it.

When Fakir shoved her hands away, they fisted at her sides, and she stomped on the ground, uncaring that the clapping sound of her white flats on the floor echoed within the large library.

"Why do you have to keep hiding things from me?" The volume of her voice just about matches his. "Is it really so terrible for me to see what you've been up to!"

Ahiru lurched forward again, trying to snag the books once more and yank them in her direction.

He pulled the books out of her reach just in time, but one blank white page slipped through his grip and fluttered to the floor. He paid it no mind. One page loss wasn't enough to display what he needed to keep out of sight.

"I said _no_," he hissed out in attempt to be a little quieter - though it didn't help much, due to his rising temper. "It's _none of your business_!"

He scowled unpleasantly and pointed one finger over to the waiting shelves on the other side. "If you have something you're looking for, go look for it. I won't return the favor by hovering over your shoulder and demand to know what you're reading."

"Well, I wouldn't be demanding to know what _you're_ reading if you hadn't acted like it's some big scary secret that I can't 'handle' or something! Why can't you just show me-WAAAH!"

Ahiru stomped forward toward him, attempting to grab for the books again, but she slipped on the stray white page on the hard floors, flapping her arms frantically before falling forward with a yelp that was far too inappropriate for a library.

"...Idiot," he mumbled on something like a sigh as she slipped and fell.

It was difficult to stay angry when she had an accident like that. He couldn't help but almost want to slam a palm to his face in exasperation. Just like that, a significant amount of the tension building up in him dispersed.

But he was still annoyed enough not to offer her a helping hand back up, and instead used that moment to get to his feet - which would give him a lot more added height if she tried to reach for the books again.

"Then it should be _obvious_, moron, that it's something I don't want to show you. Assume whatever you want, but that's not going to change anything."

However, what Fakir failed to notice... was that standing up had been a big mistake. Even his jeans couldn't fully hide the arousal he had gotten from that brief fantasy he had paralleling the erotic rain scene in the book he had begun reading through. And he seemed a bit too caught up in the shock of the redhead's arrival to have even registered that his pants had gotten a little tight.

Ahiru lifted herself from her embarrassing faceplant to the ground, scowling up at the now-standing dark-haired writer before her, opening her mouth to go on about how much of a jerk he was and how it wasn't fair to just keep things from her.

But she froze, eyes widening. From her position, it was rather obvious that he was...

Heat flooded her face mercilessly. He was...again? And suddenly, the whole situation seemed _too_ familiar. Here she was, on her knees, and there he was, with...!

And the worst thing was that she suddenly felt that strange warmth pooling around her center with the mere memory of that time in the kitchen. Ahiru was so preoccupied by this, she didn't realize she was staring at the front of his pants. Rather intently.

It actually took a long moment for him to realize that she hadn't replied. And Fakir thought, almost hopefully, that she was giving up on the subject, since he was obviously showing no signs of budging.

But when the silence prolonged, he wondered why she wasn't getting up finally glanced down at her again, thinking she might have actually hurt herself.

...Only to see her staring at him with a completely red face. Or more precisely, her eyes seemed to be glued to the front of his jeans.

And then, as if it had to ironically be _that_ moment - he could feel it. He didn't even have to look down to check at what she was staring at. And he felt his face inflame in a mere second, burning all the way to his ears.

Fakir immediately moved one hand to cover his front - not that it would help now that she'd already obviously _seen_ the evidence of his erection - and cursed under his breath.

He _knew_ he shouldn't have gotten so immersed into that damn book. Especially that blasted scene. Damn it all. And then her unexpected arrival at the library, much less back to where he was hiding in the back reading indecent material, had been enough of a shock that he hadn't even felt himself react.

And now, even though his mouth opened to say something, he couldn't think of a single thing to say.

Ahiru continued to gawk at the bulge in his dark jeans, until his hand obscured her view. If possible, her face grew even hotter, and she turned away quickly. He must've caught her staring...!

She didn't know what to say either. When did that happen? Could she help him at all this time? Was it bad that the warmth in the pit of her stomach was growing rapidly the more she thought about the time when he was like this before?

Her legs squeezed closer together in their position resting on the floor, her fidgeting hands bunching up the gray fabric of her dress. "Um..."

Fakir felt his middle regions pulse when she shifted and fidgeted on the floor. And he squeezed his eyes shut as if to get her out of his mind. But for the briefest, tiniest of moments, Fakir had the urge to haul her up, shove her against the bookcase, and do her right there in the library.

...Clearly, he was insane. And clearly, he needed to get the hell out of there.

His eyes snapped back open at that thought, and he struggled to swallow before tentatively attempting to speak.

"...I should go."

He didn't specify to where, even though he had a definite destination in mind. Instead, he quickly put the books and papers down on the table, reached for his satchel, and started messily piling everything into it.

If he walked out with the bag situated in front of him, he could probably at least make it to the nearest bathroom without anyone noticing his... problem. And without any further issues.

Ahiru's fingers tightened around the cloth.

She often reminded herself in the past that it was all right to feel this way, and that Fakir would understand anything when it came to what she wanted and needed. After everything that had happened so far, wanting to do this with him shouldn't be that much of a surprise.

But..._here_?

She caught herself thinking about how almost no one was around. About how they were in a rather isolated section of the library. About how if they could be quiet...then...

The duck-girl couldn't _believe_ herself... It was one thing to do it in Fakir's room. Or anywhere in the dance studio, for that matter. It was a completely different thing altogether to want to do this...here.

When Fakir finally spoke, she gulped, watching as he began to pack up. Part of her wanted to stand and try to grab for the books again, but she couldn't bring herself to control her legs enough.

And before she could stop herself, the words tumbled right out of her mouth.

"D-Doyouhaveto?"

An instant later, she clamped a hand over her mouth. Why did she have to always talk before thinking!

He paused at her words, fingers tense in their clasp on the strap of the bag.

She couldn't really possibly expect him to _stick around_ in a public library with his _crotch jutting out_. Even if this was a sex-based island, there's no way in hell he wanted anyone to catch him like this. It was bad enough already that his own carelessness has resulted in _her_ seeing it.

But he supposed he could offer her at least one little truth before he high-tailed it out of there. Then maybe she wouldn't bug him about it later if she got the opportunity. Taking a deep breath, he side-glanced at her for just a second before he focused on his bag again.

"Look... I was reading something inappropriate. That's not something I would jump to tell you about, much less _want_ to talk about. And I didn't want to deal with the embarrassment."

...Though he was clearly having to deal with plenty of it, anyway. So maybe now it didn't even matter if she thought him a pervert or whatever. She already caught him in the bloody _library_ with erection, after all.

But like hell if he was going to tell her the entire reason of why that had happened in the first place. She _didn't_ need to know that he was actively fantasizing about having sex with her. And it was a lot different than being due to the collars...

His own attraction to her was almost starting to scare him. Especially when he could consider things like doing her in a _public library_ in broad daylight. Which stemmed from the damn book. And the damn rain scene with the man and woman going at it against a tree.

This wasn't _right_.

Still remaining on her knees, she released a breath at his words.

Inappropriate. Like those...stories that she had heard of from people over the network? And the ones that she found on Fakir's top shelf without him knowing?

...It really shouldn't have been a surprise to her, now that she was really thinking about it. If Fakir _wrote_ that kind of thing, then he had to have read it, too, right? She wanted to reassure him and tell him that it was okay to read that kind of thing if she did as well. And she also wanted to say how it was okay to tell her he liked that kind of thing, because she was just the same.

But that would be hypocritical of her, wouldn't it? To tell him that it was okay to be open with her about these things while she hid his own stories under her bed. And she was worse, because she literally took Fakir's private stories and even went as far as using the idea for that one time in the kitchen...

So how would she be able to let him know that she was okay with it without telling him about the stories she found and making him angry?

With a shuddering breath, she lifted herself off the floor with more effort than she expected, and took a couple steps closer to him on jelly-like legs. "C-Could I...Could I see?"

He snapped the buckle on the bag shut. "No."

It was simple, but firm. He supposed maybe he was foolish to think he could mention the damn books without her wanting to dig into it even _more_. And he silently berated himself for that lapse in judgment. She never seemed to be satisfied unless she got the whole story.

And he _really_ didn't want to give it.

"I need to go," he echoed almost the same thing from before. But it was true, nonetheless. Just hearing her voice was making his stiffened length throb with want from within its restraints.

He needed to get to the damn bathroom as soon as possible.

Another deep breath. And this time, she reached forward, placing a shaking hand to his arm.

It was embarrassing, and he obviously wanted it, and he was hiding something from her, and he was pushing her away again... All this was happening all at the same time and she _wanted_-!

"N-No, you don't-!"

She tried to calm her racing heart, and attempted to organize her jumbled thoughts and feelings. But in the end, despite everything, she knew what she wanted. And Fakir wanted it, too. So, her gaze hardened, and she tugged at his sleeve.

"Sh-show me..."

Ahiru didn't know whether she meant the actual book or the actual _act_ itself... She was just too confused...and she didn't know what was happening to her, and why she was thinking this way and...!

Fakir felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end when she took his arm in her grip. Why was she trying to do this! She had to have at least noticed that they _weren't_ in the privacy of their own kitchen this time. Even if she wanted to 'help' him again, this was not the place or the time!

"N-Not here," he stammered quietly. "We _can't_."

She was probably referring to the book, but he couldn't even care about the stupid book at this point. His mind was being filled with all kinds of terrible urges that only concerned himself and Ahiru. And not one of them was safe for a library setting.

But he was quickly losing the will to fight it. And his mind really wasn't helping by offering coaxes of how they _could_ do it here. How far back in the library they were in an area that was pretty well hidden. How they could be quiet. How the risk of being caught made it a little more exciting. How strangely appealing it was to think of taking her against a bookshelf...

"Ahiru..." he breathed lightly, closing his eyes.

The ex-knight and writer could feel his resolve crumbling. The bathroom was far away. She was _right here_. And chances were, she would probably be willing...

And then he caved, not evening turning around, but swiftly snatching the hand on his sleeve and proceeding to drag the redhead further back into the corner, where one bookcase rather nicely shielded another from view almost entirely.

Ahiru couldn't place why she felt so utterly disappointed at his initial refusal. Was he even referring to the book or the actual act itself? What were they even talking about?

She opened her mouth to say something-_anything_-when he spoke her name, but before she knew it, she was being dragged a little ways away, and her heart leaped in her chest in anticipation. Were they going to...?

But she said nothing, allowing herself to be pulled forward, stumbling after him and clutching his hand tightly.

Bits of doubt and shame slipped their way into his conscience, but the ex-knight roughly shoved it all away. If she didn't want it, she wouldn't ask him not to leave when it was clear that he was very aroused, right?

Although it wasn't _at all_ her fault that he had gotten this way in the first place, as that was entirely his own doing. He had known precisely what he was getting into when he picked up those books and decided to do some research here. And he was the one who had imagined Ahiru into that setting - which was subsequently what must have caused him to get turned on while reading it.

And now. Well... she was here, unexpectedly, noticed his arousal before he did, and he could feel himself burning just from the simple touch of their clasped hands. It was madness. And the want - the burning, aching desire coursing through his veins - was unstoppable. Now that he had given it room to burst into flame, the fire had spread and consumed him, leaving no way to escape.

No sooner had they reached that safe little niche before Fakir turned around and grabbed her by the shoulders, immediately proceeding to push her right up to the bookcase and crushing his lips against hers with no measure of restraint whatsoever.

Strangely enough, the first thing she did after she felt herself shoved up against the bookcase and before Fakir all but attacked her lips with his own was release a small giggle.

She didn't know why. The situation wasn't funny at all. Or maybe it was. She wasn't sure. But she knew that she wasn't laughing at the situation. Maybe she was just excited. But was it right to be so giddy about something like this?They were about to...have sex in a library.

The thoughts were quickly extinguished and she wasted no time in throwing her arms around his neck to draw him closer, the warmth around her lower regions intensifying with that single gesture alone. Eager to move forward, Ahiru's lips parted, allowing him easy access to her mouth.

Kissing. Easily one of her favorite aspects of being intimate. Especially because Fakir was just so good at it.

No matter how little control he retained once they started, it _always_ began this way - with some sort of kiss. Fakir originally used to use it to ease into things when they were still new to loosening their collars together. He always thought it helped stimulate and spark things into action, but not in an overbearing way.

By now, however, it had become something of an instinct, almost. He always wanted to taste her lips first. He always wanted to begin by exploring the sweetness of her mouth.

But this time, he wasn't taking nearly as much care as he normally would. His mouth was obviously hungry for her as it moved over her own, and the moment she opened the barrier of her lips, his tongue slipped right inside and probed the warm, wet inside of her mouth with relish. And amidst that hot connection, he only vaguely registered her arms around his neck - but it was enough to show him that he had been correct - she was plenty open to doing this here and now and wasn't making a single protest or even a questioning noise.

So he pressed forward and raised one hand to dig into her hair, gripping into the fiery red locks. And his other hand snaked around behind her waist to rest on the small of her back, pressing the fabric of her dress into her skin. The barred, hardened shaft in his pants gave a dull throb as if to not let itself be ignored - and Fakir dimly accepted that foreplay this time might be a bit short-lived.

He wanted so badly to be inside of her already.

Her first instinctive reaction was to moan. And it was very, _very_ difficult not to.

After all, what more could she do when her body was pressed so flushly against Fakir's, back pinned almost painfully to the bookcase behind her, his tongue ravishing her mouth with every passing second. One of her arms left his neck to move behind her, grabbing onto one of the shelves for support as she was pushed so heavily against it. The other arm alternated between rubbing the back of his neck and traveling up and down over his clothed chest, almost as if searching for a stable place to hold onto him.

The redhead was quickly growing impatient-after all, this was a public library, wasn't it?-and one of her legs curled around one of his. She rolled her hips against his leg, a tiny whimper escaping her and muffled by Fakir's lips.

"Shhh."

He pulled back just long enough to breath the sound against her lips upon hearing the little whimper she released. But then instead of moving to cover her mouth again, his lips dipped down to run over her jaw, teeth lightly brushing the surface.

After hearing that one little noise, he wanted to hear a lot more. Somehow _trying_ to get her to make noise in a library like this while urging her to be quiet excited him. He wondered how long she would be able to contain those sounds, and just how many he would be able to elicit. And he knew he had to work fast. After all, he couldn't stand to wait for very long. He had no intentions of releasing too early, no matter how riled up he already was.

With that thought, he pushed his jean-clad center right up against her, pressing taught into the inside of the thigh on the leg that was shamelessly moving against his own. And he rocked his hips in the opposite direction, the hand in her hair lowering and trailing its way down toward one clothed breast.

Ahiru shuddered as his teeth made contact with the skin of her jaw, biting her lip to keep from groaning in agony. He just _shushed_ her. While he was driving her absolutely insane with desire. She knew this was a library, but staying quiet would be harder than she originally anticipated.

Well, she just had to remember to keep her mouth shut from now on. That couldn't be too hard, right..?

With that thought in mind, her eyes clenched shut and her lips pursed together, determined not to get them caught. Ahiru's hips continued to grind against Fakir's leg, quaking slightly at the feel of the bulge rubbing against her thigh.

She had to keep quiet...

The ex-knight definitely had to give her points for effort. He could almost _feel_ how hard she was trying to reign things in. And now he wasn't giving her the security of his mouth over hers to swallow or muffle any sounds she might make any longer.

He half-smirked against her jaw, moving up and along the far side of her face until he found her ear. And with no warning at all, he clamped his teeth down on the lobe and pulled, simultaneously with a squeeze to one breast through her outer and under garments.

And as if that wasn't enough of an assault already, he moved his erection over just far enough to impact where her warm center was hidden underneath the material of the dress, and rubbed intently over it, creating a rapid friction between both areas.

With the onslaught, a delicious combination of pleasure and pain shot up and down her spine. "Qu-!"

Ahiru immediately froze, ceasing all movement against him as she fought to keep her voice down. How did he expect her to stay silent when he was ruthlessly attacking almost every sensitive part of her quivering body all at the same time?

Her hand clutched at the bookshelf as if her life depended on it, knuckles turning white from the force of her grip. The arm that remained around Fakir's neck pulled away to clamp around her mouth.

For the first time, Ahiru acknowledged how noisy she was if she was having so much trouble simply trying to stay quiet while doing something like this..

She was really struggling to hold it all in - and so far succeeding. Perhaps this wouldn't be as easy as he originally thought.

At least, that's what he thought before he pulled back saw for himself that one of her hands was now covering her mouth. For a moment, he considered pulling that hand off and detaining it to free her passageway once more. But in the end, his own impatience won out. He could tease her more another time. Preferably when it didn't feel almost painful to wear his pants.

Fakir ruthlessly ground himself forward and into her, creasing her dress and wincing slightly from the ache of his pulsing length. He left a sloppy path of wet kisses down the side of her jaw again and then lowered further, peppering her neck until he found that one sensitive spot of flesh near the base again and took it into his mouth, sucking eagerly.

And his hand started to knead her breast, the other set of fingers leaving their perch at her waist to join in on the unattended one. His skilled fingers pushed up and down and around, squeezing into the pliable flesh even through the ample barriers of cloth.

Her hand remained clamped over her mouth, but it couldn't stop the muffled, high-pitched whine from being audible. She was so afraid of making a sound that she couldn't bring herself to move against Fakir in return, allowing him to take full control and use her in whatever way he wanted.

But it was mind-blowing. And it strangely felt thrilling to be doing this in a place like a _library_, trying to stay quiet while being ravished thoroughly right up against an innocent bookcase.

All she could do was clutch onto the shelf with her other hand, and revel in that building heat that continued to bloom between their centers.

She moaned again, low and drawn out, from behind her hand, her glassy eyes half-lidded. A small "_Yes..._" escaped her, stifled by her hand.

Fakir paused just briefly when he that shrill noise half-escape from her. At this point he hadn't really expected anything, but it seemed she was delivering, anyway. And just that simple sound sent shots of electricity straight to his throbbing groin.

In effort to reward her - or perhaps also to press the sensual torture a little further - he pushed one half of her bra slightly down from above the covering of her dress, just long enough to find the nipple and pinch it between his fingers and the cloth of her outer garment.

His mouth dislodged from the reddened area of her neck, just far enough for his tongue to fall out and swath slickly over it. And with one more squeeze to her supple mound, the other hand shot straight down, searching for the hem of her dress. Upon finding it, he lifted it with ease, bunching the soft fabric as his hand started to crawl up her leg. And the large bulge in his jeans continued to create friction against her center as the cloth of the dress rapidly raised.

Her back immediately arched up against his touch, almost as if her body was triggered by the heat and desire incited by his ministrations to her breast. Fakir really was quite good with his hands, and as if to emphasize this, she shuddered heavily as his fingertips traveled up her skin beneath her dress.

Ahiru panted, tentatively moving her hands away from her mouth and the shelf to dig into Fakir's hair, clutching desperately as she gasped for breath.

Her face flushed and eyes clenched tightly, and the redhead fought for composure, attempting to grind against him in return for the amazing sensations he awakened within her.

With great difficultly, the ex-knight managed to pull his center from hers, leaving enough space for his hand to get by. And once those fingers reached the connection point of her legs, they moved to cup her warmth from outside of her panties, rubbing back and forth and pulling a small groan from his throat at just how wet she already was.

To be honest, he hadn't expected that. He knew that _he_ was already quite aroused, but he was almost a hundred percent sure that she wasn't in the same boat when she arrived at the library. And the thought that it meant that she wanted it just as badly as he did was overwhelming.

Unable to stop himself, he thrust his shielded shaft against her leg as his hand worked her barely-clothed core. And his mouth fell upon the skin at her collarbone, teeth adding to the onslaught of his hot mouth and tongue as his other hand pressed her breast upward and his fingers clenched around the whole.

As soon as Fakir's hand made contact with the cloth covering her dripping center, she squeaked, one hand leaving his hair to clamp back over her mouth. The other hand traveled down, clutching desperately around his shoulders to keep herself pressed entirely against him, moving her leg against his barred erection.

"F-Fakir...yes..._more_..."

She tried to keep her voice as low as possible, but it was proving more and more difficult as every clench of her breast and every stroke of her core sent her into orbit. Her fingers bunched up into the cloth of his shirt, nails digging into the fabric and against the skin of his shoulder.

The time for attempting to draw sounds out of her had long since passed from his mind, and he was fully focused on what they both needed now. His fingers between her legs paused, and then his index digit pushed up into the cloth, pressing his material-coated finger through her folds.

He stifled another groan by biting into the flesh just above her collarbone. Fakir wasn't sure why, but somehow it was incredibly thrilling to enter her like that in a non-direct way, and just feel her soaking core filter through the thin underwear to reach his finger. And another surge of heat flocked to his middle, making his length pulse and wordlessly _beg_ to be released from its confines.

The writer knew he couldn't hold out much longer. And his ministrations upon her chest and collar area seemed to reflect that burning need by growing stronger and rougher with every passing second.

Ahiru couldn't stop the sharp squeak from climbing out of her throat and into the air, perhaps a bit louder than would be deemed safe for the library setting. But how could she help it when he was invading her core in such a new way?

It was as if every experience with him opened up so many more possibilities...

She grit her teeth against the sharp pain of his teeth against her neck, and lurched forward, lightly biting down on his shoulder in return. His rough, frantic ministrations against her breast grew to an uncomfortable level, but she paid it no mind when a far more painful ache throbbed around her center.

And then, Fakir decided that enough was enough. He had waited far too long and the burning need to have himself embedded within her was unbearable.

The ex-knight pulled back from her sharp nip and simultaneously extracted his cloth-encased finger from inside of her, swiftly bringing both hands to his belt buckle. He fumbled with the clasp briefly before it came undone with a dull snap, and he hastily pulled it free from the jean's loops and dropped it with a clank to the floor.

With that obstruction out of the way, he unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, just far enough to dig down into the front and pull his hardness out. He didn't care about undressing. And it was probably better that they could fix themselves up in a hurry, if possible.

As Fakir pulled away from her, she leaned back against the bookshelves for support, panting desperately for breath and quivering uncontrollably, her cheeks flushed. She watched as he removed the belt from the loops of his jeans, and after a moment, followed his lead.

With shaking hands, Ahiru lifted the hem of her dress, hooking her thumbs under the waistband of her soaked panties, and pushed them down, letting the small piece of clothing flop to the ground uselessly around her feet.

The redhead tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, before taking the front of her dress and lifting the fabric up, allowing Fakir the full view of her damp core. She subtly spread her legs a bit, leaning back against the bookshelves, waiting for him.

Ahiru ached to be filled. She needed his length within her. And if he didn't take her soon, she'd probably scream...

For once, he didn't object to her readying herself. He was too impatient by this point to care how her panties got out of the way as long as they _did_. And it seemed she had taken care of that and was waiting for him - so he didn't leave her in anticipation any longer.

Without a nuance of caution or even a glance to be sure they weren't be watched, Fakir drove himself right into her, pushing her back against the bookcase and burying into her slick warmth. Pleasure attacked his senses and his eyes fluttered shut on a stifled groan as he moved out a little and then sunk back in.

When her tightness was enveloping his shaft so deliciously, he couldn't give a damn whether they were in a public library and up against a bookshelf or not. All that mattered was connecting with her like and reveling in the sensations that coursed through his body as he moved inside of her.

His hands moved just below her breasts, groping under them briefly before he leaned forward and kissed her passionately.

"QUA-!"

Once more, she found herself too loud for their current environment-not that she truly cared at the moment-and pursed her lips, fumbling arms wrapping around Fakir's neck as his lips met hers. Ahiru reveled in the size of his length as it entered her, filling her to the brim with every stroke and movement. Her nails dug into the skin of his neck, and she moved with him, back pressed almost painfully into the bookshelf behind her and arching her chest up against his touch.

But she wanted more. She wanted him to move _harder_ and _faster_ into her center, and as if to encourage him, her hips bucked against his as best as she could, whimpers escaping into Fakir's mouth as his shaft rubbed sensually against that small, sensitive nub.

Fakir had no intentions of moving slow. He had merely gotten caught up in the feeling of her wet core encasing his shaft - somehow, no matter how many times they had engaged in sex by now, it never ceased to overwhelm him.

His mouth was no kinder than his rough hands under her breasts as it worked restlessly over her own, tongue plunging in and out of her orifice with no sense of control or rhythm at all. And he began to piston in and out of her velvet heat, tiny gasps of breath filtering from the mold of their mouths.

He paid no heed to how recklessly he was thrusting her up against the bookshelf and didn't even blink an eye when a couple of books dislodged on either side and fell to the floor.

She moaned against his lips, tongue tangling with his as it intruded repeatedly into her mouth, her hips bucking against his with every thrust into her core. Ahiru had completely forgotten where they were at this point, all thoughts of keeping quiet erased from her mind entirely.

With another high-pitched whine, one of her legs lifted up to curl around Fakir's, using the bookcase behind her for support as she lifted herself higher against him. Her fingers yanked at his hair, desperate to find some measure of control.

Recalling the position from the book he had been reading prior, Fakir's hands instantly dropped from her chest and hooked under her knees, moving to lock her legs over and behind his hips.

"Keep them there," he ordered in a husky whisper against her lips.

And with that said, he returned to ransacking her mouth with his own while penetrating her center endlessly with his throbbing manhood. The burning pleasure was immeasurable. He could feel it flowing into every nerve and expanding, fit to burst at any moment. But he struggled to reign his eagerness in, intent on giving her the ride of life before he let himself go.

And the abused bookshelf had begun to shake with the sheer power in his strokes.

Her ankles hooked together behind him without question, driving him even deeper than he was before. With every stroke of his length into her core, her legs fumbled to keep their hold around his hips, her white shoes slipping off her feet from the constant, sharp movements, clapping down to the hard library floor.

Ahiru's arms left his hair to clutch helplessly at the trembling bookcase, using it as leverage to pound her hips right back against his, her inner walls clenching around his shaft.

Soon enough, she felt that familiar warm pooling within the pit of her stomach, sending electricity up and down her spine. Her toes curled as she threw her head back and away from his lips with a squeal, knocking into a few books behind her.

It was a bit odd to be doing this while almost fully clothed, but the ex-knight found that he didn't mind at all. It wasn't unpleasant, by any stretch of the imagination. And despite how much he enjoyed touching her bare skin, using the outer garments had be interesting and even pleasing in some ways. He would definitely remember that.

...Even if his brain was rapidly being crushed underneath waves and waves of shocks and sensations that coursed through him mercilessly and barely allowed even enough room for gasps of breath.

He moved into her faster and more forcefully as the seconds passed, sweat rolling down from his forehead and plastering his dark bangs to his skin as he worked in an out of her with an uncontrollable pace. More books fell, and the shelf began to hit the wall behind it, almost like a backdrop to their very library-inappropriate actions.

And in that moment, he almost felt like he wouldn't give a damn if they _were_ discovered. All that mattered was her and being inside of her... and this blazing pleasure that never seemed to cease even for a moment.

"_F-Fakir_!"

Ahiru writhed helplessly, sandwiched between Fakir's solid body and the now heavily-quaking bookcase, her legs fumbling to maintain that hold around him, one of her knee socks slowly easing down and bunching up around her ankle.

She moaned and whined openly, completely letting go of any hesitations whatsoever and just diving right into that downward spiral into oblivion. She was _so close_, and Fakir was so fast and big and she just couldn't take it. The redhead repeatedly knocked her head against the books behind her with every one of his swift thrusts, unable to think straight any longer.

"F-Fakir-! I can't-! T-Take me, _please_!" she squealed into his lips, words muffled in the intense and messy kiss.

Ahiru was so completely wrapped up in the heat and ecstasy flowing through every part of her body, that she didn't hear the footsteps drawing nearer to the small, safe little niche that Fakir and Ahiru had claimed.

And the male of the duo who was usually the alert and perceptive one, also failed to notice anything or anyone approaching. All useless sounds like that seemed to filter right out along with the noise of falling books and the dull whacks of the wooden shelf impacting the wall. They weren't worth his attention. Not when he was so intimately involved with the girl of his every affection and desire.

And his partner's words only encouraged him to increase the tempo even _more_, his mouth now openly panting between the cracks of its messy connection with her own. The need was escalating further and further, pushing him higher and higher toward that building peak of ecstasy. And Fakir let it carry him, pumping in and out of her relentlessly.

One of his hands attempted to hold her legs up and around him as the other's grip was almost bruising upon the bare flesh of her hip, determined to hold her as still as possible while he invaded her dripping center over and over. His stiff erection was burning and coated with her essence nearly all the way to the base. And that lubrication only assisted him with his impossibly quick thrusts.

It wouldn't be long now... He could feel it.

This was it. This was what had been building...!

"F-Fakir...right there-! There-!"

Ahiru's legs clamped around him, the unbelievable pleasure washing over her and drowning her without mercy as she was thrown right off the edge and into that white-hot peak she had begun to crave more and more with every new sexual experience. She screamed Fakir's name against his lips, her inner walls snapping tightly around his still-intruding shaft. Her essense spilled over his length, body quivering even as her back continued to collide with the shelf behind her.

But even as she held onto Fakir for dear life, riding out her insanely intense orgasm as he continued to plunge into her, she took no notice of the random man who gawked at the pair nearby.

"Nnnnnngh..."

The ex-knight didn't stop even as she reached the crest of pleasure, still harshly penetrating into her depths with no control at all. He wasn't sure what was keeping him from his orgasm just yet, but he unsteadily continued, reveling in the sound of her voice as she came around him, her tightness becoming almost unbearable to withstand.

He moved within her, arms shaking in their hold upon her leg and opposite hip, feeling himself moving ever closer - so damn close - to the free-falling drop into unfathomable pleasure.

And despite his lack of release, he remained fully focused upon her and every sound and action she made as he impaled himself in deeper with every push - oblivious and uncaring of the unknown voyeur.

Ahiru shuddered against him, still gripping onto his shoulders and keeping in time with his thrusts even as the after effects of her release passed. She wanted so badly for him to reach that point, as well. And just as he did everything he could to bring her to that wonderful climax moments before, she wanted to do the same for him.

She bucked against him, lifting herself higher to bite down on his earlobe, one of her hands leaving the shelf behind her to crawl up under his shirt to flutter her fingers against the rough scar of his skin.

The man standing nearby did not look away.

Those two actions of hers together, along with a drive deep into her core simultaneously, seemed to finally trigger what he needed so badly. The hand from under her leg dropped, moving to clutch her other side through the dress as his fingers on the opposite end dug into her skin to the point that his knuckles turned white.

"A_hi_ruuuu-!" He gasped aloud as euphoria clouded his senses on every level, washing out everything to a burst of bright white. His body stiffened and quaked slightly as he released into her with flooding between erratic intervals, the connection overflowing from the sheer amount and dripping down to the floor.

Fakir's eyes were shut tightly as he rode it out, letting the pleasure seep into and fill his every pore to the brim. And he clutched to her the entire time, short bursting gasps escaping his mouth every so often.

Ahiru's eyes widened when a burst of his warm essense filled her, her body shuddering from the alien sensations.

That had been the first time he had released inside of her...

And it felt good. _So_ good, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him into a deep, passionate kiss, whimpering as they held onto one another. She had no idea why, but this simple act made her feel as if Fakir was truly a part of her now...

Her fingers threaded through his hair, kissing him sweetly.

Until the man nearby cleared his throat.

It was a little while longer before Fakir finally felt himself come down from that seemingly-endless crest of ecstasy, and his limbs loosened slowly, his breathing heavy.

He was barely aware enough to register her kiss, but somehow returned it feebly despite that. And he hadn't yet noticed his crucial mistake - the fact that he had let himself stay inside of her this time, with no use of a condom or anything.

The collar's looseness wasn't even noted, considering it hadn't been constricting in the first place. And despite where they had chosen to have sex, neither the shame or the regret was creeping into his conscience just yet.

He was content to experience the aftershocks of his orgasm and hold her, his lips brushing against hers lightly.

But in the midst of Ahiru's inexplicable happiness, she couldn't miss the man's rather loud throat-clearing, and she froze, eyes snapping open as she slowly pulled away from Fakir's lips.

There she was, still suspended up against the bookshelf, still very much connected to Fakir, and just a few feet away...

The redhead's face burned. "O-Oh..."

The young man a bit away simply stared. "...Damn, guys. That was hot."

And that new and most definitely male voice was all it took for Fakir to snap his head to the side, green eyes growing wide.

Godddamn, how long had that guy been there! True, he had realized he was taking a hell of a risk by doing this with her in public, but what kind of idiot would hang around to _watch_?

...Well, he knew that answer.

His eyes narrowed almost instantly as he struggled to catch his breath. His immediate assumption was that unwanted voyeur had probably been watching Ahiru - _his_ Ahiru - as she had voiced her pleasures quite openly and convulsed with ecstasy. And dammit, as far as Fakir was concerned, that wasn't meant for anyone else's eyes but his own. Even if the fact that Atia had perverts like this guy didn't surprise him in the slightest.

"Get. Lost," he bit out through clenched teeth, yanking Ahiru's dress forward far enough

to cover their connected area and indecency from view.

The man's eyes widened, stubbling backward, before high-tailing it right out of there. That guy was scary as hell. "I just came for a book! Jeez!"

But Ahiru couldn't say a thing, even as that person took his quick leave.

Someone was watching. Someone was _watching_ them while they were doing something so private and special and-!

With a mortified groan, she leaned forward to bury her face in Fakir's neck.

The ex-knight immediately moved to wrap his arms around her, almost possessively in intent. And he kept glaring in the man's direction until he was fully out of sight.

Hmph. Came for a book. But stuck around to watch something that _obviously_ wasn't his business. And it was strangely satisfying that his death glare hadn't lost its effect when he put it to good use. That should certainly keep the idiot from coming back.

"...He's gone," he reported softly, leaning in toward her ear.

One of his hands rubbed up and down her back in a sort of reassuring gesture. He would make sure nothing like that happened again. They just needed to choose their locations a bit more carefully from now on.

Although she still felt completely, insanely embarrassed by that turn of events, she lifted her head to glance over in the unknown man's previous direction, before turning back to Fakir with a rather guilty expression.

She didn't mean for Fakir to be angry. Especially after sharing something so wonderful and intimate and exciting with him. So, Ahiru leaned forward, placing a small kiss to his cheek.

"S-Sorry about...that guy, he..."

His eyes widened incredulously. She wasn't seriously trying to blame _herself_ for this, was she?

...Of course she was.

Fakir sighed gruffly, pulling back and adjusting his arm to lightly bop her on the head. "Don't be a moron, moron. There's nothing about this that's your fault. So don't even start."

He frowned, as if to say that's final, and then retracted his hand, leaning back a little...

And abruptly froze on the spot when he realized he was still embedded inside of her. His cheeks flooded red with a mixture of embarrassment and overwhelming shame.

_He had never pulled out._

How could he have been _**that**_ careless when he already knew what could happen in consequence!

Despite his reassurances, when she saw his expression, panic seized her. Had something gone wrong? Why did he look like that? "F-Fakir?"

Oh god, how did he- what if _she_-!

Fakir raised one hand to his forehead. "I-I forgot to..."

He took a deep breath and pulled out of her center, feeling the guilt and regret start to come crashing down around him.

What the hell was he going to do if she got pregnant or something! There's no way he could fix that for her! And she could barely take care of herself, much less a child!

"_I'm_ the one who should be sorry, dammit." He thrust a fist into the bookshelf, fueled by his own self-loathing. "I wasn't thinking..."

He forgot to...? What was he talking about? The way he was suddenly acting, after they had just shared something so special and wonderful... It was _scaring_ her.

She stifled a small whimper when he pulled out of her, and she slowly removed her legs from around his hips, but kept her arms around his neck. He was obviously upset about something, and that was the last thing she wanted him to feel after being so intimate with her.

"F-Fakir, what's wrong?"

"I just made a big mistake, that's what," he drawled, stuffing his limp length back into his boxers and jeans.

He zipped his pants up, refusing to look at her even when her arms were around his neck. It was painful to think he had put her into this position. Sure, there was the chance that things would be all right and nothing would have happened, but...

How could he have been so _stupid_? He was supposed to be the careful one. And he didn't want to put her through anything like this. They weren't even _together_, much less married and planning to have a family.

"I'm sure you're not going to enjoy it, but I think I'm going to have to take you to see a doctor soon."

A...big mistake? Was he talking about what they just shared?

But that _wasn't_ a mistake! They both knew what they were doing didn't they? And just a few moments ago, she felt closer to him than ever before!

At his words about seeing a doctor, she felt even worse. What was he...? Was she sick or something?

She almost felt angry at this point, and her hands moved to his cheeks, trying to get him to look at her. "Fakir, can you just tell me what happened? You're...You're scaring me..."

He finally gave in and raised his gaze to her, looking rather defeated and more than a little uncomfortable. He didn't want her to think it was something _else_ that was making him upset about what they had done, but...

This wasn't likely to go over too well. He was sure she hadn't considered having children. Much less having any in _Atia_. Or with him, for that matter.

"Look, I... you... that is..." He trailed off and swallowed harshly before attempting to continue. "We have to get a doctor to check to make sure you're not... pregnant."

His eyes closed briefly. "I'm sorry, Ahiru. I should have been more careful. Just one mistake is sometimes all it takes..."

...Pregnant? As in...with child?

Was it because he released within her? Was that why he had refrained from doing so up until now?

Her mind whirred, a thousand thoughts and feelings colliding with one another in her mind. She hadn't even thought about children. She didn't know if a duck could even _get_ pregnant as a girl.

So what was she supposed to do now?

She wanted to panic. She really did. Because in all honesty, she was _flipping out_ inside. She didn't know what to do. And she'd heard somewhere on the network that having children in Atia was dangerous or something. And she didn't want any child or duckling of hers to go through any pain at all.

But she...didn't want to get rid of it, either. She wasn't sure what to think when she saw that post discussing killing babies before they were born, and didn't think she'd have to deal with that issue.

All the same, she stopped herself from freaking out. She wasn't the most mature person in the world, that was for certain. But she had to grow, and had to keep a level head. Just like others on the island. So, with a deep breath, she leaned her forehead against Fakir's chest. It wasn't as if they knew for sure, right?

And they were partners. She and Fakir could get through anything.

"Th-then we'll go to a doctor. And we'll just...go from there, right? I don't regret today in the least, and I don't want you to, either..."

He inhaled rather sharply as her head came to rest on his front, and with only a little hesitation, reached his arms around her to hold her close to him.

"I don't regret what we did," he assured her softly. He never could. Being with her was always amazing - and something very special to him. "...But I regret that I didn't take more care with you, like I should have."

His fingers clenched around her slightly. Fakir sure as hell wouldn't let her go through this alone. He would be there with her and beside her every single step of the way, no matter what happened and no matter what she decided. But even so, the bubbling guilt that stemmed from his severe lapse in thought during their... intimate endeavors, did not dissipate.

How could he possibly forgive himself for throwing her headfirst into something like this?

He couldn't, dammit. But all he could do now was support her and hope for the best.

"I'll come with you. I don't know... what they have to do, but I won't let you go alone. I'm sorry. I didn't want to do this to you, even by accident."

And as he spoke the last words, he embraced her tightly, burying his face into her hair.


	3. Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Author's Note: Hey, folks! Manda-chan/Serika here. Annnnd once again, I will be taking on Fakir's part in this particular role-play. And this one takes a bit of a spin from the other RPs we've uploaded thus far - it's a bit darker and... incredibly long. XD; (I'm talking over 24,000 words, here.) Also, I swear there are more people than just me and Sammie involved in this. We just had a few of the earlier ones and we're doing most of these in order, so... yes. I hope you've been enjoying the stories so far and thanks so much to those of you who gave us feedback. We REALLY appreciate and I love you guys! Thank you very much for your support!

Author's Note: Hello, you wonderful viewers! Thanks for coming back and reading some more of these. I'm Sammie, once again, and I play your Ahiru in this fic. As stated, this one kind of has a bit of a dark undertone, but we hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

Prompt/Theme: Vampires.

**_Warning_**: This has very **NC-17** content. Smut. Sexytiemz. And this one is a little bit dark. Please take that into consideration if this is not something that you would enjoy reading!

**Notes**: First and foremost, if our editing rate stays pretty solid, you're likely to see _a new chapter of this uploaded **per week**_! And also, please keep in mind that these are all done for **_FUN_**. Lots are AU and characters are generally tweaked a little to fit situations. If you're okay with that, then please enjoy!

* * *

_Clink-klank_.

Two ice-cubes collided within a glass of amber liquid as it was raised to a young man's lips.

The bar was openly humming with chatter and laughter as the patrons intermingled and conversed, both the sober and the drunken alike. But as the dark-haired figured placed his glass back down on his table in the far back, it was clear that he was very alert and unaffected by the alcohol from his glass. His crimson-colored eyes were calculating and roved from person to person, half-hidden by the cover of his dark-green bangs.

The figure inhaled, nostrils flaring slightly. It always smelled good, even when diluted by the heavy stench of alcohol, smoke, and uncleanliness. And although this place was always a last resort, he had waited too long to gamble any further. He couldn't afford to wait to find something more appetizing at this point.

At least it was all too easy to manipulate intoxicated people, he conceded with an impatient sigh. But who would be his target...

His eyes snapped over to a small circle of young women gossiping and lingered. Females generally tasted sweeter and were more satisfying. Not to mention that it was far easier to coax them to accompany him out of the establishment and to wherever he wished. He didn't even have to waste many useless words. And that was always preferable.

Sporting a small smirk on the corners of his lips, the pale man continued his silent scrutiny of the bar goers, searching out a victim for his much-needed meal.

Ahiru shifted uncomfortably beneath her cloak and hood, keeping her face from view as she stepped into the bar.

This would be the last place they'd expect to find the governor's daughter.

She would have none of that prison-like mansion anymore. She wanted something so much more than the life they dictated for her.

And she decided she would hide out in this place until the morning when she would be able to find her way out of the city. Even as dark and...dangerous as this place was.

It was impossible to miss the new arrival. At least for the attentive young man sitting in the far back of the bar. But it wasn't the noise that alerted him to her arrival - it was the _smell_.

The fresh and delectable scent of her blood was overwhelming. It was akin finding a diamond amidst a pile of plain rocks, when compared to the dulled flavor that littered the tavern.

He peered cautiously in her direction, careful not to attract any undue attention to himself. And despite being unable to see her face from beneath the cloak she wore, he felt... strangely drawn to her. Was he really that hungry? Perhaps, but... the feeling was almost unsettling.

Nonetheless, there's no way he could let this one slip away before he found a way to corner her.

He needed to think fast...

With the cloak obscuring her freckled face, she wasn't able to really focus on anyone in particular. She didn't want to. She had heard stories about places like this. Just...don't make eye-contact and everything would be fine.

She wondered what her mother would've done. Her mother always seemed to know what to do when she was still alive.

Trying not to look out of place-though, with a cloak and hood like that, how could people not stare?-Ahiru attempted to move toward the back of the bar as casually as possible.

She couldn't help feeling as though she was being watched. But she shrugged it off. People stared at one another in places like this, right?

He stiffened as the girl came unexpectedly closer to his vicinity, the overpowering scent of her blood washing over him in waves.

The young man swore to himself that it was surely because of the extent he had left his hunger unsatisfied, but... he had never smelled anything _that_ good before. And he had drunk from many humans.

Turning his face away from her, he continued to watch her out of the corner of his eye, casually taking a sip of the bland honey-colored liquid in his glass.

That strange feeling of being watched refused to go away.

Again, she reminded herself that was probably the norm. Maybe it was just her nerves. She had rarely ventured far into the town outside the mansion, and it was always with a chaperone. It was completely understandable that she would be on edge.

But she would not regret this decision, no matter how fearful she was.

Ahiru clutched the cloak tighter around herself, and sat down at a vacant table, a single candle centerpiece lighting up the corner in the rather dim bar. It was a quiet spot, and from what she could gather behind her hood, only one man sat at the next table. The emptiest, most private area of the room.

Unlike the other bar-going ladies scattered about, the young vampire noted that this one was definitely straying away from the crowds - just as he normally did. And while that made her an open target, it also meant that he would need to convince this one with words.

...Which he honestly was not very good at, despite needing the blood of humans to survive. An unsocial vampire. What a laugh. He scowled at both his lucky and unlucky turn of events.

But he couldn't give up. Not when something that intense and mouth-watering was attacking his senses mercilessly.

His fingers clenched around the glass as he glanced to the opposite end of the bar and away from her. He didn't have a plan, dammit. Perhaps he should simply follow her once she left...

There was a long moment where she just sat there, trying to think things through. She really had nowhere to go from here. But as long as she left the city before tomorrow night, then she could figure things out.

Nearby, a rather handsome, but obviously drunken man stumbled over to her secluded table with two equally drunk women on each arm, slurring and murmuring and and laughing hysterically.

Ahiru had to cringe. She was never one of the snotty rich girls she had grown up around, that was for certain. But to see someone acting so...obnoxious under the influence wasn't something she was accustomed to. And when the laughing man mumbled something incoherent while trying to grab for her, she had had enough.

_No one _could just touch her like that!

Without another thought, Ahiru stood from her seat abruptly, and the man and his two women toppled to the ground when he completely missed her.

Her hood had fallen down, and her fiery red hair and round blue eyes were revealed.

"G-Get _away_!"

And she had yet to notice that her outburst attracted the attention of the rest of the bar.

He wasn't all that surprised that it wasn't long before the stranger was approached by one of the many drunks that lumbered and lazed about the bar. He could easily rid such nuisances with a well-placed death glare - especially since his eyes seemed to frighten most people.

But he wasn't going to look a gifthorse in the mouth. This was an opportunity and he wasn't going to let it slip by.

Lurching to his feet, he was in front of the redheaded girl in a blink of an eye, effectively blocking the fallen drunk and his two bimbos from her. And he sneered down at the foul-smelling man unpleasantly.

"Harassment isn't tolerated here. Return to your own booth."

At least, harassment wasn't _supposed_ to be tolerated, but from the amused look he caught on many faces in the bar, it was apparent that most of them didn't care.

Apparently, even in the drunk could feel the disdain in this man's shining red eyes, and he and his two women climbed to their feet, stumbling away and back to their own, crowded section of the bar, others laughing and gossiping about that recent happening.

Ahiru, however, felt a bit put out. She could've handled it on her own. And still not noticing that her hood was down, she crossed her arms.

"You didn't have to do that. I was just fine."

Her tone wasn't quite huffy, but more of a tone of simply a matter-of-fact. She was doing just fine. A drunk person isn't hard to run away from.

The dark-haired young man glanced over his shoulder with a small shrug, careful not to give her a good look at his face.

"Hn. I just don't stand for that behavior. That's all. I'm tired of seeing it."

And with that, he headed back to his own area and lowered back into the booth.

He couldn't handle straining conversation further without coming off as a creeper himself, so he decided to lay low again. If she wanted to make a move, the chess pieces were in her hands for now.

If not, he would bide his time until the moment to strike presented itself.

She blinked after him, but didn't question it. That was fine, she supposed. To not stand for that behavior. So she easily turned away from him.

But suddenly aware of the amused stares that she received, and the absense of her hood, Ahiru began to panic. She was still in the city, after all. Someone was bound to notice-!

With a gulp, she placed the hood over her head once more, and began to make her way out of the bar, squeezing through the crowds and shuffling between the tables. This place was no longer safe for her. She had to find another place...

Reaching the entrance, she pulled open the large door with some effort and a small grunt, before walking back out into the night.

...Now what?

His eyes widened a fraction as she stood and followed as she meandered through the throng of tables, customers, and barmaids.

...She was leaving, wasn't she?

And indeed, a moment later, she reached the door and headed out of the establishment entirely.

Damn.

His fingers tensed around the half-drunk glass of rum as he shifted uneasily. Even though the hunger had grown to the point it was almost painful to reign in and she had seemed like a gift-wrapped god-send in this slimy hellhole... he was more than a little concerned. He hadn't felt this compelled to go after any particular human before. Even when he was extremely hungry.

And he didn't like things he couldn't control - especially things about himself. It had taken a long time to get his feeding habits under control as it was. To have that be thrown off-balance by some simple little redhead girl was unnerving.

So he didn't let himself move. Not yet. If she got far enough away... then he could get past this inexplicable attraction and go back to finding some drunken idiot to sate his hunger.

With a sigh, she shivered a bit, clutching her cloak to herself once more.

All right. Maybe she should've thought this through a bit more. Made preparations. Packed a few things. She only had a few coins in the pocket of the servant's skirt she snatched from governor's home.

With a shake of her head, she leaned against the wall of the building, before glancing up and down the empty street.

Might as well just keep moving. A bar was a stupid place to go anyway.

As Ahiru began to walk, inside the bar, that same drunken man staggered out the door as well with a grin on his face.

Fakir knew he shouldn't have thought anything of it - he should have just been thankful that the tantalizing scent was steadily drawing further away.

But he couldn't help but notice that the idiot drunk from earlier had also, miraculously, found his way to the door and headed out into the night.

It shouldn't matter either way, he stubbornly insisted to himself, taking a long swig of his drink - his bland, alcoholic substitute for what he really needed, for what was quickly disappearing into the night...

Clenching his teeth angrily, he pulled the glass from his face and slammed it down on the table, rising to his feet and snaking his way expertly through the heavy crowd, coat billowing out behind him. Whether the drunk was after her or not, he didn't care. Or at least, he refused to admit that he cared. It was inconceivable, after all. So it clearly must have been the thought of anyone touching his earlier-intended meal.

...Or rather, his _still_-intended meal, he thought as his eyes narrowed and he slipped outside, beginning to slowly and cautiously trail after them.

At least whatever it was that had crawled uncomfortably under his cold skin would end once he finally drank from her and disposed of her. And she was a much more appealing option than taking something else out of that tavern. Infinitely so.

He supposed it made sense to work a little harder for something so rare.

The empty street frightened her. She had never been out this late before, and without a chaperone. And she had no light, and no money, and no food... She really was an idiot for trying to do this without taking the necessary preparations.

...So when she heard the slurring laughter a few years behind her, she sped up, not daring to see who was behind her. Perhaps he didn't intend to follow her. Maybe he was just on his way home...

But when he started calling for her...

"Heeeeey, why not show me tha' perty face ag'in, eh? Pu'down that hood and lemme look at ya..."

Her steps quickened. He was drunk. His senses were dulled. She could get away, right?

Sure enough, as he had suspected, the drunk was indeed tailing her. But intervening at this point was out of the question, so he stayed safely in the shadows and out of plain sight. There was no way the girl wouldn't be suspicious of why he had come to her rescue a second time - whether she actually needed it or not.

And the pangs of his hunger were making it difficult not to just throw caution to the wind entirely, much less stop and think of how to handle the situation.

Dammit, if he had just stayed in the bar, he wouldn't be caught in this dilemma. And it was her damn fault for coming into his final resort feeding zone and giving him a whiff of that pure blood that didn't belong there.

Stupid human girl. He'd make her regret stirring him up.

But as she began to move faster, the drunk did as well.

What did he want from her? Couldn't he tell that she had nothing at all? And for pete's sake, he was drunk! He wasn't supposed to be keeping up with her like this unless he was focused on something that he really wanted, and she had no alcohol to provide him with!

When he beckoned to her again, she finally glanced over her shoulder.

"J-Just go away!"

And she began to run, her heart racing in her chest.

...Soon enough, she heard him calling to her again, but this time, his voice had a strangely alcohol-induced angry to it...

"Stop runnin' ya little tramp!"

God, it was like some kind of nightmare and she just wanted to wake up. Because despite her efforts and despite the fact that she thought he wouldn't be able to keep up, the man's large, firm hand grasped her upper arm painfully, whirling her around to face him.

As soon as the grime touched her, the vampire tensed from his watchful spot in the darkness. But he struggled to hold his ground without doing anything rash just yet. If she _didn't_ need the help, as she earlier claimed, stepping in would be foolish. And far too exposing.

Thus with narrowed red eyes, he watched the two intently, silently bracing himself from the crazy urge to run right into the fray.

He had to be patient for just a little longer.

Ahiru struggled frantically against his hold, but his grip was bruising and painful, and he jerked her forward so she almost pressed against him.

The redhead almost gagged at the scent of alcohol.

When she tried to kick him, the man grabbed at her hair and yanked painfully with his free hand, and she yelped.

"S-Stoppit! It _HURTS_!"

But he only laughed, dragging the struggling girl toward a nearby alley.

She never should've run away from home. She never should've gone into that stupid bar. She never should've...

This was all just one big nightmare. It _had_ to be...

Everything that spontaneously happened after the man had dragged her out of sight was a blur to the dark-haired vampire.

His own irrational ire toward the object of his bloodlust had assured him that she deserved whatever she had gotten herself into. Anyone going into a bar and then heading onto the streets alone at this time of night was a complete and utter _moron_. He would simply find her afterward and take what he needed.

However, his body had reacted on its own. With speed and precision that couldn't even be detected by the naked eye, he was after the both of them - and once the putrid smelling guy was in his sights, he reacted on blind instinct and furiously murderous intent. With an inhuman snarl, he shoved the assaulter into the stone wall just outside of the alley he was intending to drag the redhead into-cracking the drunk's head clean open and leaving a huge indent and crumbling stone in the gouged area he had thrust the body into.

As he stood there while the lifeless body toppled uselessly to the ground, not even winded in the slightest from the exertion, he dimly realized that there was no possible way to cover this. Not only had he openly and violently just killed someone in front of her-but he had reacted and performed the crime in such a way that betrayed a typical human.

His eyes found her and he tensed. He knew he'd best kill her quickly, but he couldn't coax himself to move just yet. The endless blue of her eyes had him frozen in place.

...What...had just happened?

As if in an instant, the grip around her arm and hair vanished completely, leaving her kneeling on the floor of the alley the man pulled her into. And the wall...and the _body_...

Her wide eyes slowly drifted up, and in the darkness, two bloodred orbs staring deep into her own blues. And her heart stopped.

Who..._what_ was he?

The spell-bound moment was short-lived. All it took was one light sniff to remember what he needed so badly. And if he thought she smelled good before, it was nothing compared to now. The blood was incredibly potent - likely due to the fear that she still radiated.

"Awfully stupid, aren't you?" He muttered low, taking a careful step forward with the intent of backing her further into closed darkness of the alley.

But she didn't back up.

Maybe it was because of how piercing those red eyes were. Or how jelly-like her limbs felt. Or the pain in her scalp and arm. Or the body laying not more than a few feet away...

Maybe she was in shock or something. Because there was only a single thing she could say.

"...I-I'm not stupid..."

He raised an eyebrow at her lack of movement. She wasn't even going to allow him a chase? This was almost _too_ easy now.

"Wandering around at this time of night on this side of town, _alone_... complete idiocy."

She gulped, her cheeks flushing and her lips trembling. Ahiru honestly had _no_ idea what she was feeling.

But she was scared, and frustrated, and frantic, and _irritated_-!

"O-Okay! I'm sorry I didn't plan ahead, _okay_? Y-You don't have to-to-!"

The corner of his lip upturned ever so slightly.

"Don't have to what? Eliminate a disgusting hindrance?"

He took another slow step forward, struggling not to outright attack. It wouldn't be a satisfactory kill this way-not after the hell she had unknowningly put him through. He wanted to terrify her and put her through a hell of her own for affecting him so much. Death at this point would be a _mercy_.

"I didn't eliminate the _danger_ to you, girl."

Finally, her legs seemed to solidify again, and she shakily stood, her blue eyes narrowing. And when he took a step forward, she took one right toward him as well.

This was the worst night. Ever.

"No! I meant you didn't have to _call me stupid_! Okay? I thought I was making the best decision of my life by running away from that not-so-father and a stupid sparkly fiance, and what do I get? I get harassed by a drunk, dragged across the ground, watch someone get brutally murdered-!"

At this point, she began to jab her finger against this red-eyed creep's chest.

"And I get made fun of by some weirdo who-who-!"

...Saved her.

His crimson eyes narrowed sharply as she approached him, going as far as to jab a finger into the front of his coat. The scent enveloped him, making it all the more difficult not to slam her against the alley wall and drain her pitifully small frame dry.

She still didn't get it, did she? If she did, she would be running down that alleyway without daring to look back.

...Why did he feel like he had to get even with this girl before he feasted? It was unnecessary, dammit.

But she had seen for herself that he wasn't normal-and dangerous-and yet she was getting in his face and complaining about her life?

The vampire snatched her hand away with lightning speed, sneering down at her.

"Your biggest mistake was stepping into that bar tonight, girl. You sealed your fate the moment you walked through that door."

[[But that only seemed to make her angrier.

By all accounts, she should be afraid. He just murdered someone with his bare hands. In a way that a normal human just couldn't do.

But...she just _wasn't_ afraid of him. Maybe it was because she didn't know exactly what he was. Or maybe it was just his condescending attitude that just set her off.

Either way, she found herself pulling back at the hand he grabbed, challenging his sneer with her own glare.

Fate. There was that word again.

"Fate or not, I was able to go against it. Just because you think you're all big and scary doesn't mean you can control me!"

"Well, this is one fate I'm afraid you can't escape. But you're welcome to _try_."

He sounded almost amused, though his stomach was nearly rumbling with the need to feed.

There was no sense dancing around this anymore. If this idiot couldn't get the picture on her own, then he would just have to be a bit more blunt.

And with that decided, he gestured behind him at the immobile corpse of the drunk with his free hand.

"As you can see... I don't tolerate anyone playing with my food." He bared his fangs openly at the girl, crimson eyes boring into her with unmasked want. "_Especially_ when I'm hungry."

Her eyes widened.

He was...

A vampire?

She had no idea they had even existed... And now this one was trying to threaten her...

"S-So you're...you're trying to _eat_ me?"

He almost rolled his eyes, but settled for a scowl.

"Feed, you idiot. _Blood_. It's what my kind lives off of."

...Why was he even bothering to explain this?

"...'M not an idiot."

She glanced away with her own scowl, crossing her arms.

...Well. All right then. Maybe she wouldn't be able to escape this kind of fate. But she wouldn't let him rule over her like this...

"...Fine. Whatever. Just...drink and hurry up."

Get it over with. Apparently she was never meant for freedom anyway, right?

This was... far from satisfying.

Why wasn't she scared stiff? Why wasn't she screaming bloody murder? She couldn't have been so daft that she didn't understand what he _was_.

So why wasn't she sharing in his hell now?

Even when her blood was right there for the taking-just as he had wanted so badly this whole damn time-he couldn't bring himself to bite her and get that sweet nectar of life.

It was like starving when there was an invisible wall barring you from a feast. And it _hurt_.

With a growl, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her up against the alleyway wall, swiftly pinning both hands on either side of her head.

His crimson gaze was furious, but laced with a shaky thread of uncertainty as he leaned in close to her.

"Is that it? You don't give a damn about fighting this fate after you've already condemned _me_?"

"Wha-HEY!"

She grunted almost painfully when her back collided with the wall, struggling against his hold on her hands.

Why was he dragging this out? Wasn't he hungry?

"L-Look, I get it! I can't run away from a vampire! I know that! But I'm not going to just let you have the satisfaction of seeing me all scared when there's _nothing_ scary about you!

I-It's...It's not even about fate anymore! You're just a big dumb bully who's hungry!"

She continued to writhe and fidget against the wall, attempting to land a kick or two on the vampire's shins.

"And I haven't condemned you to anything! What're you even talking about?"

"Of course _you_ don't understand it."

He near spat, brows drawing together. Her kicks did nothing, but her voice was really grating on his nerves.

"Walking into that bar didn't only seal your fate-it sealed _mine_. I had control. I wouldn't foolishly kill someone without even realizing what I was doing. Not before _you_ came along. You screwed_ everything _up! And now I can't even-"

He cut off as his stomach gave a pitiful rumble.

Damn her! He was so damn hungry that his limbs were beginning to shake. And yet he couldn't do what he needed to, no matter how simple it was at this point.

_Why_...?

She continued to struggle against his hold frantically.

"W-What are you talking about? What makes me so different? Why can't you just bite and get it over with?"

"Do you think I'm not wondering the same damn thing!" He near-exploded, his cold fingers constricting around her wrists.

Letting his frustrations out and throwing accusations wasn't doing anything to quell his hunger, but it was distracting. And he seized any small, momentary pardon from his hell.

"_Something_ makes you different. You smell different. There was no damn way to ignore you when you walked into that tavern. And even after you left. It's like you were singled out to torture me.

"And now I can't..."

He trailed off again. It suddenly dawned on him why he couldn't feed from her. He knew, somehow, that he would regret it-more than anything. And it was impossible to consider it.

...What the hell was this? He had killed more humans than he could count. Why was this stupid girl some strange, inexplicable exception?

Soon enough, she stopped struggling altogether.

She smelled different? That was why he was acting like the strangest vampire she had ever heard of?

"...W-What's...? I-I...I didn't mean to torture you or anything like that...I...I don't get it!"

His grip on her slackened slightly as he struggled to figure out the nonsense that was running through his mind.

He didn't know this girl. There was nothing special about her that he could see. But without even knowing how she'd done it, she'd ensnared him in the worst way possible.

How could a mere human _do_ this to him?

"I wanted to put you through hell. I wanted you to pay for what you're doing to me." He muttered darkly, the words slipping out from his lips as he lowered his head, dark bangs falling over his face.

Wanted. Past tense. Now, for some reason, he was losing the will to drag her into that hell.

It was ironic, really. He talked of her fate being sealed. And yet it was him who was sealed against his. And she was free from fate - she had escaped it just by _existing_.

Her head was swimming.

She didn't do _anything_ to him! And he wanted to-to-!

None of this was making sense! He wanted to make her suffer for something that wasn't her fault and now...

Now...

She felt _guilty_. As if she really ahd done something wrong to him. And maybe she did. She wasn't sure...

Slowly, she eased out one of her hands from his grip, tentatively brushing through his dark hair.

What was she doing? She didn't even-Why was she-?

"...I'm...I'm Ahiru..."

...Did she just introduce herself?

He inhaled sharply when her hand unexpectedly raked through his hair. On vampire-ish instinct, he snagged that hand with his shaking ones, lowering it just far enough to reach his open mouth, fangs angled to pierce the pulse in her wrist and taste the blood he had been _aching_ for-

But he couldn't do it. All he could do was release a frustrated hissing noise.

This was... impossible. _He had to get away from her_. If he lost all of his strength, it didn't matter if he was a vampire or not. Without blood, he could not survive. It was a fact he couldn't escape from ever since he had been unwillingly turned.

His binding hold dropped from her completely as he lurched away from her, backing up until he was flat against the other side of the alley's wall, red eyes wide and hazy.

"S-Stay away from me!"

Now _he_ was the one who was frightened. Of a young _girl_. A young **human** girl who had some strange power over him. He could almost feel his pride slowly shattering to pieces.

And still, the hunger burned relentlessly, and her scent never once lost its intensity, flooding his senses with the need and want and yet knowing he was unable to indulge.

She remained where she was, pressed against her side of the alley.

Why was she concerned? She really shoul've just been thankful for it and run off by now. He was giving her every opportunity to run away from this place and never look back.

But the way he was acting, with such desperation and pain...

Ahiru slowly left the wall to take a step closer to him, reaching out her hand.

"C-Couldn't you...just drink a little and then...I don't know, stop before...?"

He seized up again when she drew a bit nearer, making eye contact long enough to pass a heated glare.

"Do you think it's that damn easy?"

Protecting his secret had always been important. He would kill first, then drink from the wrist, leaving as little attachment to his victims as possible.

But the thought of killing this girl was painful in a way he couldn't describe. It was almost alike to the throb of his hunger pains but... different, somehow. And he didn't like it. He didn't like anything he couldn't understand, much less anything that kept him from the basic instincts he had to survive.

Even the spontaneous disposal of the drunk man hadn't been because the slime had touched what he designated as his meal. It had been because something in him snapped and when berserk when he heard her cries of pain. Even after he had already deemed it fitting punishment for her stupidity and what she was doing to him. And he couldn't understand _any_ of it.

Closing his eyes, he lowered his head again, giving a violent shake before he sunk down to sit against the stone.

Perhaps he deserved this. Even though he despised the demon that woman turned him into, he eventually gave in. He eventually succumbed to the need. And from there, he had become a bloodthirsty creature of the night - never to return to the noble morals he once held as a human being.

The vampire took a shuddering breath. He didn't want this girl's pity. He needed her as far away from him as possible. Both for her sake and his own.

"Hurry up and get out of here."

She told herself to run. That would be the smart thing to do. While this vampire was allowing her to.

But that was the issue. A vampire. A bloodthirsty creature that she always feared in those frightening stories. And here he was, saving her and releasing her. That wasn't right, was it?

Vampire or not. She couldn't bring herself to leave him alone like this. And he looked like he was in pain.

And it was more than just pity for a starving creature of the night. For some, inexplicable reason, Ahiru didn't _want_ to leave him at all. She had never truly yelled at anyone like she had to him mere moments before. And it was strangely...exhilerating to release those pent-up emotions. Oddly enough, something about him just begged her to be herself for the first time in her life.

So she found herself kneeling before his sitting form, awkwardly fiddling with the cloth of her cloak.

Suddenly, she wanted to see his eyes. And she leaned in closer.

"Does it hurt?"

His head snapped back so fast that it hit the wall behind him - which honestly didn't hurt, but he immediately scrambled off to the side, trying to put more distance between them - or more accurately, between himself and the intoxicating scent of her blood.

_What_ was with this girl! He had given her the opportunity to escape completely, which he had never granted _anyone_, and she was all but getting right up in his face instead of running away in blind terror! Was she not scared because he probably looked so damn pathetic right now?

...That thought angered him. He didn't want her pity or sympathy or whatever useless human emotion was compelling her. Being reduced to this was incredibly humiliating.

He bared his teeth like a cornered animal, red eyes nearly narrowed to mere slits. And a threatening hiss filtered out of his throat.

"_Do you want to die so badly_?"

With a huff, she crawled right on after him, blue eyes blazing and meeting his red gaze head-on.

"I just want to know what your deal is! You're obviously hungry and I'm sitting right here and you're threatening me but you're not doing anything about it and for some reason I just-!"

Just what? Could she even put it into words? How could someone openly admit to being drawn to an infuriating, violent, rude, jerk of a vampire?

He bristled, inwardly alarmed that his threats and intimidation were amounting to _nothing_.

And the gaping hole in his stomach was begging for a taste of her-and protesting that her closeness wasn't being fully taken advantage of.

As it should be.

What did he care about regret? He was long passed feeling any remorse for what he did. Any unpleasant feelings about it would be short-lived, at best. And then he could get on with this horrid excuse for a way of living. Back into his safe pattern.

Damn fate. Damn whatever it was that drew him to this girl - that made her blood the most desirable above all - and that subsequently was not allowing him to have it.

He growled under his breath.

"I don't have to explain myself to the likes of _you_. Only a complete and utter _moron_ would throw themselves at a bloodthirsty demon."

"...I'm not a moron. And I'm not throwing myself at you, either."

With a small grumble, she looked over her shoulder at the body of the man nearby with a grimace, before turning back to him.

"Bloodthirsty demon? So, that's how you see yourself?"

No one could be more of a bloodthirsty demon than her uncle, but she decided not to mention any of that.

"I just wanna know why you saved me. And why you're letting me go."

"That's what I _am_." He clarified matter-of-factly, expertly hiding the bubble of self-loathing that seemed to be forming out of nowhere.

He _didn't_ care, dammit. He stopped caring a long time ago.

Why wouldn't she just _leave_ and stop confusing and driving every last one of his senses out of his control?

The vampire then sneered at her following assumption. Even if he didn't know why he had acted the way he did, either, he wasn't going to damn well admit it.

"And I already told you that I didn't save you."

"...That's not _all_ you are, though. You're also stubborn, dumb, and a big jerk who won't answer my question.

"Whether or not you _meant _to save me, you did. And if you're not going to drink from me or anything, you just wasted your time."

She reached forward to tug at the strands of his dark bangs. Why was he so confusing?

"GEH!"

He retracted from the touch instantly, as though it had burned him. Which was actually a rather accurate way to describe what it felt like. She radiated warmth and heat, but there was a spark to it that made it physically painful. Something more than just the hunger itself...

And that irritated and angered him as much as the other inexplicable changes. What the hell was happening to him? Was this what he would have to suffer through before he wasted away?

"I don't bloody well-_care_ what you think, girl-"

The vampire got to his feet, mustering all of the strength he could to remain upright and keep from trembling.

He _hated_ being weak - being reduced to this starved and frantic state in front of a _human_ was detestable.

If he could just get away from that scent...

She stood along with him, jabbing her finger against his chest once more and looking him dead in the eye.

"I told you my name is Ahiru! Now what is your problem? Y-You-! If you're hungry, you-! It hurts, doesn't it? Just do it all ready!"

He roughly shoved her hand away from his front, stepping backward.

"I don't _give a damn _what your-DAMMIT, IF I COULD HAVE, I WOULD HAVE DONE IT ALREADY!"

"AND WHY CAN'T YOU? YOU DON'T MAKE ANY SENSE!"

She took a step forward, aiming to whack her hand against his chest.

"_**GET AWAY FROM ME**_!"

A definite note of panic slipped in through his fury as his hands shot out, thrusting her away.

She stumbled back, tripping awkwardly on the cloak, and suddenly flailing backward.

"W-WAAHH-!"

She landed painfully on her back with a groan, staring up at him with a rather panicked expression.

"W-What is _wrong_?"

And what was wrong with her? Why was she pushing this...?

He stubbornly ignored the slight pang of remorse for having pushed her down, and angrily jutted his index finger out to point beyond her.

"_YOU_ ARE WRONG! STOP DRIVING ME CRAZY AND GET OUT OF HERE!"

And he did look insane. Like a deranged and unstable lunatic that was unpredictable and dangerous. Which wasn't a far cry from what he felt like at the moment. His balance was gone as long as she was still around. He was starving and yet he could not do a thing about it, even when she waved the most delectable thing in his face over and_ over_...

This really _was_ torture.

Ahiru glanced down at the ground with a grimace, frustrated tears prickling her eyes.

Why was she so affected by this? Maybe she did have a death wish or something. Any person with limited intelligence would easily run off at this very second. Instead, she remained on the ground, sniffling pathetically.

"W-Why don't _you_ get out of here if you hate me so much? You're the one who wanted me for dinner, and now you're-!"

His lips drew into a thin line, refusing to give her a response.

He didn't have the power to run from her. Not only due to his lack of strength, but her potent scent and that inexplicable attraction mixed together, binding him with tight, invisible strings.

How could he successfully run away from something he wanted and needed with every last fiber of his inhuman being?

Nonetheless, he had to _try_. He had to endure the pain until he could be free from this hell.

His eyes shut tight, teeth gritting together. And he slowly started to step backward, his movements shaky and uneven, but determined.

Ahiru remained sitting on the ground, her peasant skirt and cloak billowing around her on the stone ground of the alleyway. She merely watched him as he attempted to move away from her.

Part of her, she began to realize, didn't want him to leave, though.

Maybe she was a moron for being so intrigued by someone who wanted nothing more than to suck the life out of her. But that same vampire awoke so many emotions within her. Real emotions. Ones that human beings displayed when they were angry and frustrated and everything that the daughter of a governor should not feel.

But if she was causing him pain...

And in the midst of all of this, she could only wonder...

"B-Before you go...what's your name?"

He paused mid back-step, eyes widening as he accidentally inhaled much too heavily.

"Don't-concern yourself with such useless, trivial-"

But he couldn't finish speaking. It was too strong. Too much to ingore-too much to block out. He couldn't move fast enough. It was swallowing him-_overwhelming_-he felt like he was going to go mad!

Nearly choking a harsh breath, the vampire fell to his knees, red eyes broad and unfocused, chest heaving, and mouth openly salivating.

He couldn't take it. He couldn't-

Desperate for a distraction and anything to occupy his starving mouth, he viciously bit down into his own arm.

"A name isn't usele-"

She trailed off, noticing his desperation, and as soon as he fell to his knees and his jaw clamped down into his _own_ arm, she all but panicked.

Ahiru's eyes snapped wide open and she scrambled over to his side, her small hands grabbing his shoulders and shaking them.

"S-STOPPIT! That's-! You can't do that; you're-! You're hurting yourself-!"

What could she do? He wasn't drinking from her, and no one was around at this time of night-aside from the very dead body a few feet away-and he was going insane with thirst over here...!

"C-C'mon! I'm right here! Don't do that!"

His nostrils flared when her hands fell upon him, the scent washing over him in endless waves. And his teeth clamped harder in attempt to hold onto both himself and his remaining sanity, jaw locking into place as securely as he could manage.

Why was the human girl being so stupid! Why did she have to make this so much worse! If she really wanted to help, all she had to do was LEAVE!

He didn't want an invitation. He didn't want to bite her. He didn't want to drain her life away and leave her to rot with the other body in the alley. He didn't want to hurt her at _all_.

And at the same time, he _did_ want her-and her blood. With such an unfathomable need that he was reduced to this inhuman animal in effort to get a grip on himself.

Why was this happening to him!

He still wasn't moving from that position, and that only made Ahiru's grip on his shoulders tighten.

"W-Why are you-?"

As if to force him as much as possible to release his arm from his teeth, her arms quickly moved from his shoulders to wrap right around his neck, drawing his head to the juncture of her neck and shoulder.

This had better work. And if she died tonight, at least she died on her own terms, in a way that she had chosen.

After all, the reason she left home was to make her own decisions...

"Nggggggghnngh!"

His pupils dilated as he found his face removed from his arm and pressed almost directly to her neck. He had never bitten anyone there-and the scent was infinitely strongest in that spot.

The wetness from hunger that had gathered in his mouth, mixed with the blood from his arm, dripped down to her unblemished skin. And he opened his mouth wide, as if to give in and overpower that earlier reluctance-

Yet he stopped, again, just a bare inch from the pulse in her neck.

"No... I can't." He whispered-almost _whimpered_-hotly against her neck. "You have your whole life ahead of you. Don't throw it away..."

A light shiver ran through her body as the moisture touched her skin, a blush dusting across her cheeks with the sensation of his breath against her neck.

In a situation like this...things like that shouldn't feel good to her. She didn't even know his _name_...

Nonetheless, she trembled against him, but kept his head in place, fingers threading into his hair.

"You're...not _really_ a bloodthirsty demon, are you?"

Because if he really was, he wouldn't be hesitating right now. And with that thought, she pressed his lips down to her skin with a small sigh.

He stiffened at the contact. Not only was it alien and not only could he almost taste the blood through the thin barrier of her skin, but something else sent a shiver down the length of his spine.

She was so warm. And soft. And openly welcoming.

How was it possible for anyone to act the way she was, even if they were an idiot? He'd murdered someone right in front of her. He'd told her just what he was and what he wanted from her. She wasn't supposed to behave like this and encourage him to end her life!

With some difficulty, he struggled to pull away from her, red eyes flickering with pain and desire.

"I'm every _bit_ what I claim I am. But you... it's different... I can't..."

Why wouldn't he just give in? And how was she any different from any of his other victims?

Still, her hand began to rub his upper back with slow, circular movements, her blush deepening.

"But I...I don't wanna leave, and if I don't leave, you're hurt, so you have to..."

She shook her head, forcing him back toward her neck.

"D-Don't be so stubborn!"

"Why can't you leave? Why can't you stop doing this to-"

He cut off on a grunt when she forcefully jabbed his face right back into her, one fang just _barely_ impacting her skin. However, that graze was enough to break the skin and release the tiniest drop of her blood.

And that... was all it took. The floodgates dropped down in an instant, his mouth bearing down and fangs piercing mercilessly into the flesh of her neck.

Words could not describe what he felt when he tasted her. It was as though her blood was a fine wine made specifically and solely for him. And she tasted every damn bit as exquisite as she smelled-perhaps even _better_. And he eagerly sucked and lapped as the blood bloomed into his mouth, his hands raising to snatch her shoulders in an almost bruising grip.

This was worth the pain. Worth the hell. Worth _everything_.

"Ah-!"

She flinched, pain rippling from that point in her neck where Fakir buried his fangs into her skin. But she only held tighter to him, drawing closer to his body as he began to feed from her.

It was almost funny. Just the day before, she would never imagine that she'd run away from home. Or hide out in a bar. Or be pursued by a drunk. Or die from the bite of a very handsome but stubborn vampire.

Well. She did want new experiences, right?

He half-growled, half-moaned against her slicked, bloody skin, feeling the precious nectar fill his empty stomach and spread, giving strength back to his weakened body almost immediately. And yet there was a tingle-something more riding up under his cold skin, and burning with her human warmth...

The feeding vampire used his returned strength to push her down, giving a more vertical inclination as he leaned down over her, never once removing his mouth and teeth from her neck.

But dimly, he could hear something echoing in his mind. Faint, but persistent. It was telling him not to go too far, not to be greedy. Only take what he needed...

She bit her lip, squeaking in surprise when her back is suddenly pressed to the ground.

This...was a new situation indeed. Never before had a man touched her in any way. And suddenly, within the span of a few minutes, this vampire had gotten farther than any of the aristocratic sons dared to attempt.

Ahiru forced herself to relax, eyes fluttering shut. Just a bit longer, and she'd be dead, and none of those butterly sensations in her stomach would matter anymore.

She'd be dead soon, wouldn't she?

The voice in his head grew louder, _begging_ him not to kill her-until, finally, Fakir heeded it. With a heavy pant, he slowly slid his fangs from her neck, instinctively running his tongue over them to collect any lingering traces of her delicious blood.

And that should have been it. He should have simply gotten to his feet and let her collect herself and go home while he disappeared into the night.

However, before he could stop to contemplate or discourage the urge, he leaned right back in to clean her neck with languid, sensual strokes of his tongue, running his cool hands along her arms simultaneously.

Why...

Why did he want to keep _touching_ her? He had already gotten what he needed. And he had already ceased and spared her life.

So why... Why did he not want to let her go?

When his teeth finally pulled away from her skin, she had to pause an think on it for a moment.

She was still alive. After all this talk of him killing her and not throwing her life away...in the end, he still spared her. So, why...?

But her thoughts were cut off with his continued attentions to her neck, goosebumps forming with the caress of his cool touch on her arms. Her heart hammered in her chest and her face flushed even further.

Wasn't he finished?

...Still, she couldn't bring herself to speak, and merely waited to see what else he would do...

He continued running the wet appendage over her neck and collar area until the stains of blood were gone. And even after that was finished, he lingered, lapping a little lower...

And then froze.

This alien feeling that filled him ever since he saw her. The attraction. Although he hadn't experienced it before, he knew of it.

Many vampires preferred to seduce their prey. Some even engaging in wanton actions with them until the human was left breathless and unable resist-and then the killing and feeding would begin.

Fakir had always scoffed at the thought of such behavior. But his attraction to this girl was changing everything...

...He couldn't have made _that _much of a mess to start licking so...far, right? And when he finally froze, she shifted beneath him, feeling a strange wave of heat coursing through her veins.

"...Umm..."

It took a long moment before he could coax himself to pull away from her warm, moist skin.

He knew that this was wrong. From the beginning, he was ensnared and driven to give in to that strange, inexplicable pull of gravity. It was so much more than just her blood - but that was the thing he needed at the time and it fogged out everything else.

And so it wasn't until now that he could openly feel the rest - a myriad of sensations and emotions he had not harbored ever before. Hell, not even thought himself _capable_ of feeling, for that matter. Not after so many years of this dreary, monstrous way of survival.

But the same question remained.

Why _her_...?

He pulled back a little further, lifting his crimson gaze to her blue as if to search in the depths of her eyes for the answer.

Cheeks still flushed, she hesitantly glanced back into his eyes, once more marveling at the unique, piercing crimson hue. And her heart leaped again.

Why did she feel so drawn to him? She didn't even know his name. And while he was certainly handsome, his attitude and manners needed vast improvement, and he was a _vampire_, for pete's sake!

But if he spared her, then...

And she couldn't forget how close he was at the moment, or the rather pleasant sensation of his tongue against her skin, and his weight pressed down on her. And she acted the way she had always wanted to act around him only. No one else had seen that angry, whiny side to her before.

Ahiru swallowed, shifting under his gaze.

"S-See? 'M still...I'm still alive..."

"...So you are."

Fakir had seen no shortage of beautiful women, but they never got under his skin and never pushed him to any limits. Not like this little redheaded firecracker who radiated a bright and special light all her own. He never felt the desire he felt right now-the fire that flamed from far more than the intake of fresh blood in his system.

And she, somehow, _miraculously_, wasn't afraid of him. Despite knowing he was a blood-sucking creature of the night, despite knowing he could kill and had killed, and standing defiantly against his every threat and attempt to intimidate her.

He didn't care if she was human. Or if it was against the secrecy of his kind to allow her to live and breathe after he had fed from her and exposed himself in so many ways. He didn't want to let go.

Breaking his gaze from hers, the dark-haired vampire craned his neck down, allowing his lips to brush lightly over the contour of her ear.

"My name is Fakir."

Ahiru trembled at the light caress of his lips to her ear, her arms tightening instinctively around his neck.

So that was his name.

"...Fakir..."

Despite herself, a tiny smile touched her lips and her entire body relaxed in his hold and her fingertips brushed through his dark hair.

"...I guess...it's nice to meet you, Fakir..."

He was further surprised (but not unpleasantly) that she hadn't pulled away. Clearly, he was done feeding from her and she realized that. Why had she not left yet? If his heightened senses were not deceiving him, she even had her fingers threaded through his hair.

And the longer he held her, the longer he breathed in everything about her... the harder it was to even think of letting go. Even despite the fact that he had no claim on her whatsoever and no past meetings or even fleeting glances to speak of. Hell, they had only met for the first time tonight. This was ludicrous.

But Fakir was starting to understand why vampires were often considered possessive demons. His attachment to her seemed unshakable. He couldn't even force his own hands to release their grip from her.

With his mouth still poised at her ear, he parted his lips once more.

"Ahiru... is your name?"

Quirky and bit odd, but somehow unforgettable. It seemed to suit her. And the syllables rolled off his tongue in a way that sounded rather pleasing - almost as pleasing as hearing his name fall from her lips.

She gulped again at the sound of her name. With his voice. And she couldn't stop herself from shuddering.

What was it about him that just made her act this way? It was as if every honest feeling and sensation was brought into the open, fully and completely unexposed. Unlike back home, where everything she did, she carefully controlled so as not to upset anyone...

"M-Mm...Yeah, that's...that's my name..."

Her reactions went far from unnoticed, stirring more of those strange, foreign feelings inside of him. How was he supposed to fight this? It was nearly as intoxicating and compelling as the scent of her blood had been.

"Hn..."

Without thinking, he darted his tongue out to slide along the edge of her ear. Most things besides blood were rather bland and unsatisfying. But her skin had a sweetness of its own...

"QUA-!"

One of her hands left his hair to clap right over her mouth, heat flooding her entire face.

Nononononono, she had gotten rid of that terrible habit ages ago! Why did it have to come back now of all times? When she was in the arms of someone like this...Someone so strong and dangerous and so insanely attractive.

Now she just wanted the ground to swallow her whole.

"Greh!"

He snapped back from her in surprise. That sound was not nearly as pleasant as the others she made, and it left a kind of ringing echo in his ear due to the close contact of their faces.

Was that her way of saying that she wanted him to stop?

He realized with a start, that he did indeed seem to be subtly seducing her, fueled by that inexplicable attraction that he felt. The vampire looked away, pale cheeks filling with heat and color either from the blood intake or the embarrassment of his current actions.

...The hell was he doing?

And now, she really almost wanted to cry.

She covered her face with her hands with a mortified whimper, feeling so absolutely and undeniably embarrassed.

And now he probably was going to leave.

"I-I'm so sorry I-! It just came out and I-!"

One of his eyebrows quirked before it raised slightly.

"What are you apologizing for, idiot?"

After all, _she_ wasn't the one licking necks and ears and-dammit, she was probably at least a hundred years younger than he was. This was entirely inappropriate behavior, vampire or not.

"Look, I... I guess I got carried away. You should get going. Especially before the police arrive."

As much as he didn't want her to go, this was the right thing to do. If none of the other local vampires discovered what happened tonight, she would be safe. And that was much more important than his ill-timed lust.

She shook her head frantically.

All that and...! If she left, she'd never see Fakir again, would she? But even after just meeting him, she knew that something within her needed to be around him. As if the very reason she left home was just for the opportunity to meet the vampire.

And in her panicked state, mixed with her immense embarrassment and the strange desire still brewing in the pit of her stomach, she shot forward, pressing her lips right against his.

His crimson eyes shot wide open when she followed the wordless shake of her head with a brush of her lips to his own. Pure electricity bristled straight down the length of his back at the unexpected contact, causing him to shudder slightly.

Could she have a normal reaction to _anything_?

Apparently not, but... he found that he didn't mind. In fact, this was rather thrilling. And he wondered if it meant that she was attracted to _him_...

As soon as the initial shock finally dispersed and he regained his composure, Fakir wasted no time in returning the kiss fervently, savoring the plush ripeness of her lips.

Her first kiss...

Today seemed to be a day full of firsts for her. But...her first kiss. She had often dreamt of it. Maybe of one of the young men she met in the Academy she was forced to attend. He would take her out for a wonderful evening, and the kiss would be sweet and chaste and...

Certainly not shared with a vampire that had just fed from her in a way that sent shivers down her spine.

But somehow, this was better. And far more exciting. And every emotion felt as if it was ready to burst inside of her chest at the simple gesture of their lips meeting.

After a moment, she pulled away a mere couple inches, eyes wide and cheeks flushed.

"I-I...Fakir, I-!"

The sight of her broad blue eyes and red cheeks was far more attractive than it should have been to the young vampire. Beauty was not something he cared about or generally paid attention to, but he felt like he could just stare at her demurely flushed face forever.

...That is, if he wasn't busy trying to resist the urges to do many different and not entirely appropriate things to her.

But as he leaned in again, deciding another taste was in order, he ceased just a centimeter or so from reaching her lips, inhaling sharply.

She probably couldn't hear it, but his sensitive ears were picking up a familiar sound.

Her eyes fluttered shut as he leaned in, but reopened when she didn't feel his lips against hers. Ahiru's eyebrows furrowed, and she lifted a hand to place her palm against his cool cheek, staring deeply into his crimson eyes for an answer.

"What's wrong?"

His eyes narrowed as he reluctantly pulled back and glared down toward the end of the alley where the dead lump was still cluttered with a pile of rubble.

"...Sirens headed this way. Someone must have spotted him."

"S-Sirens? I-I don't hear any..."

But she said nothing more, and clung to the front of his shirt.

Was he going to leave her here? Just like that?

If he intended to, well, she simply wouldn't let him.

"...They're coming."

With some measure of difficulty, he removes the vice grip from her arms, getting back up to his feet.

It was probably for the best that they parted ways here, even if the last thing he wanted to do was leave her. She still had a long life ahead of her and it would do her no good to be mixed up with something like him.

Especially when all he really wanted to do at the moment was ravage her silly.

Shame crept into his conscience, reminding him of yet another forgotten emotion. He swiftly looked away from her.

"You should hurry."

Her eyes narrowed. She knew he would try to leave her. But she wouldn't let him. Not until she said her piece.

With that, Ahiru stumbled to her feet as well, grabbing the cloth of his shirt with her hands, rising to her tip-toes to get his attention. He would listen to her, even if it really was the last time she ever saw him...

"Y-You can't just do that, y'know? T-Take a girl's first kiss and make her feel like you want her as much as she wants you, and then just _leaving_ like it meant nothing!"

His red eyes broadened in incredulous disbelief, the sirens forgotten for the moment.

"What the hell do you mean _take_ your first kiss? You're the one who kissed _me_ first, idiot!"

And then the rest of her rambling words seemed to settle in, making his eyebrows crease in confusion. Even if she felt some mild attraction on her end, she had to realize the same things he did. Namely, how utterly wrong it would be for them to do anything further.

"Look-you must understand as well as I do that we _can't_-"

"W-Well-! It's still yours anyway! So, yeah, you took it...kinda!"

She stomped her foot to the ground, cheeks flushing in irritation. It really was too easy to be herself around him for some reason.

"We can't what? What's wrong with-with-with whatever we supposedly can't do?"

It suddenly dawned on him that she probably didn't even know what he had been doing, much less feeling. And a little more guilt welled up inside of him.

What the hell was he doing lusting after this teenage girl? Attraction or not, there were some lines not to be crossed.

He grabbed her shoulders, making sure she would look him straight in the eye.

"You _have_ to go. If any of my kind find us here or find out about this, you'll be killed on the spot."

And he didn't want that. He spared her life so she could _live _it. Not so another bloodsucker could silence her.

Ahiru's eyes blazed with growing anger and disbelief.

"S-So...that's it then? We...I-! No! I can't-! I can't just leave! Not after what just-!

"Did any of that mean _anything_ at all to you!"

The redhead couldn't help herself anymore. She shook with anger, hands fisting at her sides.

"You can't just...I don't want you to go!"

He was tempted to force himself to say that it didn't mean anything, if just to get her out of here safely-and preferably before the situation would get more complicated.

But he knew he couldn't do that. This was, after all, the first time ANYTHING meant something more to him. But he didn't want to tell her that, either.

So he opted instead for the middle ground. Which would hopefully be direct enough that even _she_ couldn't remain oblivious to his intentions.

Crimson eyes half-lidded, he used the grip on her shoulders to back her up against the cold stone wall, and leaned in to her ear again, his breath fanning over the skin.

"I don't think you understand the _magnitude_ of this situation, girl..."

He let his husky voice filter into her hearing appendage before he briefly caught the lobe between his teeth, tugging on it before releasing and returning his lips to her ear.

"Do you know what lust is?"

His cold hands slowly raked down her arms and over her sides, feeling over her curves.

...Damn, maybe he should have thought this through better. He could already feel that tell-tale warmth returning.

"Better not to play with fire, lest you get burned, hn?"

Satisfied that she couldn't _possibly_ misunderstand that, he finally coaxed himself to retract, stopping the sensual onslaught before he could contemplate doing anything else.

But as soon as her back hit the wall once more, that bubbling warmth within her burst into life once more, those inexplicable, excited shivers racing up and down her spine.

When he spoke like this...and when he touched her...

She bit back a moan at his attentions to his ear, her breath labored and eyes glassy. And his hands over her sides...

When he finally pulled back, she took a deep, shaky breath, glancing up at him with darkened blue eyes and flushed cheeks. Did he seriously expect her to run away from him after doing _that_?

...She still wasn't running. Or even looking apprehensive, shocked, or offended.

And damn it all, she had that flushed, vulnerable look on her face again. His pants were starting to feel mildly uncomfortable... Ugh! How was he supposed to fight this when she simply _wasn't_ cooperating?

And as if to shatter those thoughts, the sound of sirens whined out openly into the night. They had come much closer - too close.

He turned a frustrated glare to her. There was no time, dammit! Why was she just standing there!

"What are you doing, moron! _Run_!"

Run? Run? When he just...! Her eyes clenched shut as she turned back toward him.

"H-How can I when you just-!"

She couldn't run away from this. She _wouldn't_. Not when his hands on her body felt so right, and his breath on her skin made her quiver in all the right ways...

No one else would ever be able to do that to her. No one but Fakir.

"Why can't you just accept that I just need to be with you? I'm not a moron just because I know what I want!"

Ahiru completely ignored the steadily approaching sirens, keeping her focus on the vampire before her.

"No one else can do this to me, and if I ran now, and never saw you again-!"

For a long moment, he just stared at her crossly - though there was undeniable hunger of a _different_ kind swimming in the crimson depths now.

Why did she try to make this so easy for him and yet so hard at the same time? These feelings were new, but strong-to the point it startled him. And she was just so damn _accepting_ and_ encouraging _and-ergh, it was driving him nuts! But...

His eyes roved over the swelled marking on her neck, and his hand lifted, just scarcely touching the bitten area. It was the most intimate area to feed from... and the best place to mark one's territory.

Did he really want to give anyone else the opportunity to have her? ...No, just the thought of it somehow infuriated him. He wanted her to himself. And... if she wasn't smart enough to run away when given ample opportunity... then he would have her.

Drawing his lips into a thin line, he pulled his hand back.

"Fine. You were warned."

And with that, he hefted the redhead up into his arms bridal style, and took off down the south end of the alley like a shot.

Without another thought, she allowed herself to be lifted into his arms without question. Ahiru threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder, unaccustomed to the swift and sudden movements of the vampire.

She hadn't even known him for an hour or so. And yet, there she was, feeling more sure of this decision than she had in her entire life. She knew she belonged by side.

Ahiru could be herself around him. And he could please her in ways she never even imagined in the past.

And the way he acted around her...the way he swept her right into his arms and carried her off, the way he touched and caressed her body, his voice and his words and everything about him...It only could point to one thing.

He _did_ care about her. In some way, shape, or form.

With that thought, her arms tightened around his neck.

It wasn't long before Fakir found the place he 'lived' - though it really couldn't be called living. More or less, it was where he went whenever he didn't have to go out into the social world in search of his next kill for blood.

The building was completely abandoned and run-down, and as the vampire swiftly carried the girl inside, it was obvious that the interior was nothing special, either.

When at last they reached what he considered his 'room', he paused long enough to let her down to her feet, and opened the door.

There were bookshelves lining almost one whole wall, filled to the brim with old tomes and books of every shape and size, a desk with a simple chair, a few other necessities, and one much bigger and more comfortable-looking chair with a closed book sitting on the arm.

But there was one very 'normal' thing quite apparently missing from the room. There was no bed. Vampires didn't sleep, after all. And Fakir found it pointless to have one.

"...This will have to suffice."

And with that, he ushered her into the room. The warmth and press of her body against him on the way here had made him impatient.

Ahiru didn't lift her head from Fakir's shoulder until she felt him stop and put her down. Her eyes focused in the room, and her eyebrows rose thoughtfully.

She supposed there wasn't much that a vampire needed, then. As she scanned the room, she took careful note at the massive number of books lining the shelves.

"...Do you like to read?"

The longer she stayed with him, the more she wanted to learn about him. His likes and dislikes. What he did every day. And why he had accepted her, allowing her to stay with him. At least for tonight. Maybe tomorrow, he'd simply up and leave...

But she shoved that thought away. For tonight, she just wanted to enjoy being with him.

He crossed the room in a few long strides, pulling the lone book from the armchair and making a beeline for the second bookshelf on the wall before tucking the object into a little niche on the far right. And he took a moment to straighten a few of the others until the arrangement was satisfactory.

With that completed, he turned back to her.

"...Yes. It passes the time."

And Hell knows he had plenty of that. At least stories allowed him to escape for awhile and immerse himself in another world.

...Until he got hungry, anyway. That would spoil just about anything.

She watched him, a soft smile touching her lips as she walked farther into the room, scanning the shelves.

"Could I read one later?"

Ahiru couldn't help but wonder what kind of things he read. She was often forced into the textbooks that her demanding academy pushed her into practically memorizing. And she often failed to even comprehend half of the concepts.

And her father didn't let her read stories anymore. At least not since her mother passed away.

He gave her a side-long glance.

"...If you want."

Or rather... if she wasn't exhausted.

Though he vaguely wondered if, even with the bluntness of his words and actions earlier, that she knew what they were doing here in the first place - or more precisely, what he wanted to do with her. She never had responded, after all.

Still mulling that over to himself, Fakir strode over to the wooden chair in front of the desk. Then he unbuttoned his coat and slid it off, draping the heavy material over the back. And that left him wearing nothing more than a pair of worn black slacks and a matching t-shirt - not at all classy or refined clothing like the vampires of myth.

"Mm..."

She turned to watch him, a light blush blooming across her cheeks as he removed his coat. He really did look quite attractive, even in such casual wear.

Ahiru shifted a bit, unsure of what to do with herself. So she simply followed his example and removed her hooded cloak, leaving her in nothing but her simple brown skirt and white blouse. Feeling a bit awkward, she fiddled with her cloak in her arms, rocking back and forth on her heels.

Fakir turned his crimson eyes to her, openly appraising her figure in simple garments from top to bottom. It was somehow incredibly alluring to him that she didn't _try_ to openly flaunt her figure with form-fitting or revealing clothing. And it suited her perfectly.

...Not that he wouldn't be eager to take them off to see and feel the flesh beneath.

He shifted on one foot, gesturing to his hanging black coat.

"You can put it here or anywhere you like."

Ahiru felt a bit scrutinized under his gaze, but nodded, slowly walking over to his side to drape her own cloak over his coat.

She had to wonder what was going through his mind at the moment. He was so mysterious, and despite the immediate thrill and attraction that came with being near him, she still had to remember that she didn't know a thing about him.

It even took a bit of effort just to learn his name.

With a deep breath, she met his crimson eyes with her own, reaching back to pull on the band that kept her hair in a braid, letting the curls fall from the bind.

When she came closer to place her coat down, he stiffened a little. Her warmth was intense - he could feel it radiating around her like an aura and licking the coolness of his skin.

He had been around and fed from many humans over the years, but none had the effect that this girl did. Her warmth, her inviting scent, her shape, her hair, her eyes... everything stood out as something he couldn't ignore. As something he was drawn to without even understanding why...

Fakir had thought it merely an untimely attraction and lust that had taken him by surprise - and that seemed a large part of it, but... it was more than that. And he couldn't put his finger on _what_ or _why_.

Slowly, he raised one hand, running his fingers through the red locks that were newly unbound and letting the coldness of his fingers brush the side of her face.

A chill raced up her spine with the touch of his soothingly cool fingers upon the heated skin of her face. She smiled softly up at him, subconsciously moving a step toward him.

She felt ready for whatever would happen between them tonight. All ready, he had made her feel so many things she'd never felt before...

Ahiru lifted a hand to take the one brushing through her hair, tracing the lines on his cold palm.

"Fakir...?"

"...Do you feel it?"

The words had slipped out before he could stop them, his fingers closing around hers and reveling in their heated warmth.

"The pull. You can't explain it... it's..."

He leaned forward slightly and breathed in through his nose, feeling almost overwhelmed by her. Never had he wanted something-_someone_, so much. And yet she was human. He barely knew a thing about her. He was _dangerous_ to her. And yet...

Yet that didn't - _couldn't_ - matter. Now that he had her, he couldn't imagine letting her go.

Her heart fluttered a bit at his words. So she wasn't the only one who felt so inexplicably drawn to him. She wasn't the only one who felt as though she needed to be by his side as much as she needed the very air she breathed...

"Mm..."

And without hesitation, she leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his chest, holding their joined hands close to her beating heart.

And part of her wanted to ask him what would happen after tonight. Would he end up leaving? Would she never see him again? Was this only temporary? Was this only a fleeting dream?

But she refrained from voicing her thoughts. Later. She'd think about that later...

Right now, all that mattered was being with Fakir, in every way she could.

Her beating heart against his cold, unmoving chest was a strange sensation. He couldn't remember when his own heart was still beating - when he was still human. The memories and the feelings were all fuzzy and unclear.

However, with the pounding of her chest against his hand, he felt that if he _did_ have a heart, it might have skipped a beat. And taken his breath away.

Emboldened by that odd feeling, he draped an arm around her back to draw her even closer him.

He should have been thinking of the consequences of giving in to his desires, of feeding from her, of bringing her here, of putting her in more danger than she knew. But when she was in his arms and her heat enveloped him, it was difficult to think of anything else.

Craning his neck, he laid cool lips long her upper cheekbone and languidly worked his way down to her jaw, letting the warmth of her skin set fire to his lips.

A strange feeling washed over her as soon as his arm brought her closer to him, his cool lips sending ripples of electricity across her skin.

She felt...safe. Safer than any chaperone or father or uncle had ever made her feel. As if nothing bad could ever happen to her as long as she remained in Fakir's arms. When Ahiru was with him, everything was _right_.

With a soft, content sigh, she leaned against him, still clutching one of his hands while her free hand reached up to come around his shoulders and thread through his hair.

The vampire tried to inwardly remind himself to be careful. She was fragile and human. She could break far too easily if he let his demonic tendencies take over.

And the thought of her dying, even by his own hand, was painful in a way that couldn't even be put into words. If he lost her, he would lose the piece that completed him, the girl that gave him more of a reason to keep living this horrid excuse of an afterlife. As long as he could have that exuberant light of hers, his fate seemed a little more bearable.

His lips paused at the corner of her mouth, and his tongue slid out slowly, running a trail inbetween her lips. He shuddered, feeling the need and scorching want assault his senses with just that tiny taste. And then, with speed and precision that was clearly inhuman, his hand snapped from her lower back up to her neck, curled into the long locks behind and holding her steady as he kissed her fiercely and fully, mouth plowing over hers with unrestrained eagerness.

Ahiru shivered a bit when his tongue smoothed between her lips, her hand tugging gently at his hair in return and almost parting her lips to allow him access. But when his lips directly met hers, she returned the pressure, albeit rather timidly.

And she couldn't help but feel self-conscious so suddenly.

Back in the alley, she was overwhelmed by embarrassment and the desire to keep him near to her instead of leaving her. But now that he was here, and it was obvious he would stay, she felt a bit unsure of herself.

She had no idea if she was even kissing him the right way. And it was plainly obvious that he wanted to move further; she wanted that as well, after all. Would she be...inadequate?

Nonetheless, his kiss was passionate, and his cool lips both soothed and thrilled her, and it was hard to continue to think straight.

Her hand continued to hold his to her chest as her heartrate increased.

He intensified the liplock even further, tilting his head slightly to the side as he explored her soft mouth beneath his own. He knew nothing of this sort of connection before that moment where she kissed him in the alley, but he wasn't going to be held back by that. His need for her was too strong to ignore.

And with no need of oxygen, Fakir had to remind himself to pull back long enough so _she_ could breathe.

But despite the lack of regrets he had for himself, the vampire was increasingly concerned at how easily the girl was going along with this, even knowing what he was. And he knew that as they continued, he would likely be unable to stop. Already, he yearned to have her in every possible way.

"...Are you certain... about this?"

He let the words release over her lips, almost in an airy caress.

"You have so much to lose..."

His hand finally pulled away from hers and drifted to her waist, his thumb brushing through her blouse.

It was ironic, asking her if she was sure. When even if she said no, he wasn't sure he would be able to let her go at this point.

Ahiru panted as Fakir finally released her, her cheeks rosy and eyes clouded. She had forgotten that she even _needed_ to breathe. How did he manage to completely dominate every part of her in such a short time?

And she grew warmer at his question, staring up into his crimson depths.

...He cared about her. He cared about her enough to ask if she wanted this. And she did. Wholeheartedly so.

Lifting herself up to her tip-toes, she placed a tiny, chaste kiss to his cheek, letting the coolness of his skin sooth her lips.

"Mm. I'm sure, Fakir..."

In one moment to the next, he had her brought over to the armchair - which was pretty much the only piece of furniture even _mildly_ suitable for such an act - and deposited her right down into it, leaning in to reinstate the connection of their lips. Fakir balanced himself by using his hands to grip either arm of the plush chair, angling his neck to move his mouth more completely over her own.

Her heat was still palpable, like little flames licking at his cold flesh and making the tiny hairs stand on end. And even inside of him, her warmth and blood flooded, filling and heating through him and to all the areas that had never experienced such a sensation before.

He released her lips once again, allowing her another breath, as he started to nibble upon her bottom lip.

"Nnn... I want you. Ahiru..." He near growled, his hips bucking into the air that separated them. Such movements and urges were so alien to the vampire, having never experienced the pleasures of the flesh. But he had to keep himself reigned in. This was incredibly dangerous for her, even if she didn't realize it. If he let go, he could crush her.

...When did she suddenly end up on the armchair?

Well, no matter. What mattered most was the vampire standing over her, kissing her for all it's worth. She once more returned the pressure with less force, but with the same emotion, fidgeting with the hem of her brown skirt as that strange bubbling heat resurfaced within the pit of her stomach.

And when he pulled away, keeping her bottom lip between his teeth, she released a small whimper.

He wanted her. He wanted her as herself, and not just as a governor's daughter as those boys in the academy did. He wanted her, because he must've felt that strange force that seemed to draw them together.

Her thighs clenched together, trembling at the pooling warmth building between her legs. What was happening to her?

"F-Fakir..."

It was just a tiny noise that she made, but it spurred something inside of him, collecting heat in the area of his abdomen and steadily spreading lower...

He struggled to fight down a groan. The way this girl turned him on with the smallest of things was almost frightening. He fed from women often and he had seen all kinds and all shapes of them. None had ever reached anywhere near a sexual level with him, even though plenty had been more than obviously interested in the prospect. But he killed and fed, only using a bite to their wrists to drain their blood. And then he was done with them. Never paid them a second thought.

But he could not get this girl out of his head. Ever since she entered the bar, he was captivated. And now... after the hell of battling his inexplicable attraction to her, feasting from her blood, and giving in to that invisible force... he was going to have her all to himself.

The vampire almost tentatively pressed to her mouth again, but this time, he aimed his tongue to insert through her lips, prying them open with the intention to probe deeper into her mouth and taste even more of her.

That surge of warmth intensified as her lips parted, allowing his tongue to enter her mouth.

Her body stiffened, though. What was she supposed to do? Was she...supposed to try the same? Her own tongue slowly and hesitantly moved forward to greet his, her eyes clenched shut as her wet appendage met his.

That felt...

Once more, her thighs fidgeted, rubbing against one another as her hands left the hem of her skirt to experimentally rake her fingernails down the front of Fakir's black shirt.

He didn't really know what he was doing any better than she did. But the only real difference is that he didn't _care_. It felt good... and he wanted to keep going. And experience even _more_.

With that resolution, he lavished his tongue across hers, sweeping through her wet cavern and dipping into every little crevice he could find, memorizing the inside of her mouth.

He arched into the touch of her hand over his shirt, and finding that his current inclination wasn't allowing him enough contact with her, he spread both legs and climbed on top of her, lowering to his knees and moving his hands to grip her shoulders and rub them almost absently through the material of the blouse.

Yes, he liked this position much better. Her warmth openly consumed him, and the hardening length in his pants seemed to be excited by the change, pushing just a little more against the confines of his trousers.

She whined against his lips, feeling his tongue invade the her saturated mouth with little restraint.

She had never imagined that kisses would leave her so breathless and desperate for even more. And as he moved above her, she felt vulnerable in every sense of the word, his towering form completely dominating over hers. Ahiru found herself pushed back a bit until her upper back was completely up against the armchair.

Her hands rose from his chest to wrap around his neck, drawing him down as she tilted her head to deepen their connection. She trembled, feeling the coolness of his hands even through the fabric of her blouse.

Her whine quickly morphed into a high-pitched moan.

Ahiru's moan sent a pleasant thrill through him, provoking his lower regions to arch down and press into her briefly but powerfully, grinding once into her hips before pulling back again.

It felt... he couldn't even _describe_ it.

Without even removing his mouth from hers, he reached back with one hand to pull off his shoes, letting them fall with a dull thud to the floor.

Never had he imagined that he would feel so restrained by his outer garments or want to be rid of them as soon as possible. But now, things were different. His pants were quickly becoming a nuisance, his shirt kept her fingers from touching his bare skin, and her clothes were barring him from so many parts of her body that he wanted to touch.

After closing his lips around her tongue and pulling back, he finally released her mouth from his onslaught, moving down with a pant to revisit the tenderness of her neck. And his hands trailed down, mimicking his actions in the alley as the moved to her sides and glided up, creasing the fabric of her blouse.

Her eyes snapped open, feeling the strange, unfamiliar bulge rubbing againts her lower regions, sparking the hot build up into life. Her moan increased on volume, and all ready, a strange wetness began to form between her legs.

She heard the thud from somewhere behind Fakir, but didn't bother to try to find out what it was. The only thing she could do was groan into the air as his cool lips moved down to her neck.

Just like the alley. His hands rubbing against her sides...Though this time, his teeth weren't digging into her skin.

"Mmnnn...Fakir..."

Her hands tugged at his hair almost forcefully this time, and one of her legs hooked itself around one of Fakir's, her brown skirt riding up to her upper thigh.

He didn't protest the fingers pulling on his dark locks, and instead took that, along with the curl of her leg around his, as an invitation. Lowering his body, he settled down on either side of her only unelevated leg, rubbing his erection up alongside of her thigh and groaning deep in his throat.

Even through the barrier of his pants the sensation was incredible, and he could only imagine just how much more that would intensify without them on.

His mouth soon found the mark he had left earlier, which was still blemished and red from his feeding. And he could smell the blood pumping through, which led his lips to close over the wound and suck, extracting just a bit more of sweet nectar for him to savor.

The hands upon her sides smoothed the white fabric as they traveled down and then back up, fingers crawling up over the mounds of her chest and experimentally squeezing the soft flesh.

As soon as he began to grind against her leg, whatever inhibitions she had completely dissipated. And soon enough, with a loud groan of appreciation, her leg tightened around his and she rolled her hips against him in return. Her dress rode up even farther, and that unfamiliar wetness began to increase.

Strangely, the sensation of his mouth closing upon that bitten area and drawing even more blood from her...felt good.

Was it supposed to feel good?

She arched almost desperately against his hands as he squeezed her chest, the coolness of his touch passing through the fabric of her blouse to stimulate her sensitive flesh.

No man had ever touched her this way. And she wanted Fakir to be the only one.

Fakir thrust his hips into her even harder, meeting each of her rolls with a solid jerk of his lower body. His stiffened manhood struggled against its restraints through each push, the bulge pressing into her flesh and ever-so-close to her shielded center.

He could feel the nipples under his hands become erect, even through their bindings, which caused a grunt to release somewhere between his occupied mouth and wetness of the attended skin as he continued to sip bits of the fine wine from the fangs' piercing. And his hands worked harder, molding the pliable flesh between his fingers and pressing his palms to the small nubs.

The vampire was quickly forgetting his earlier resolution to be gentle. Each action and reaction was making him more impatient and making the need swell up inside of him, fit to burst apart at any given moment. He never imagined that being with someone in this way could feel so amazing. And somehow, he knew it wouldn't be like this if it wasn't _her_.

She lit those fires of Hell, and the flames were burning brighter and stronger with every passing second.

And he was going to drag her right into damnation with him.

Her heavy panting and groans echoed within the scarcely furnished room, her own hips gradually picking up speed and force to match his. One of her hands left his hair to lift her skirt higher, her skin hot and burning and desperate for his cool touch to sear against her skin.

And she had no complaints at all for Fakir's growing force. Every grasp of her breasts had her biting her lip to stifle the cries forcing their way out from her throat. As if to attempt to return the sensations back to him, her other hand wandered down across his chest, desperately fumbling for the hem of his shirt and sliding her hand across his cool abdomen.

God, he felt unbelievably strong and solid under her soft fingertips...

"Mmnn...more..."

The vampire couldn't help but arch at the feel of her hot digits igniting the frigid skin over his stomach. He never thought heat could be so pleasurable and so torturous at the same time - but she was proving to introduce a lot of firsts to him.

He kneaded her breasts fervently beneath the coating of clothing, dipping down into her undergarment through the fabric and rolling the pert little nipple between his fingers as he stifled a moan. And he continued to rock against her down below, enjoying the friction of her hot thigh against his hidden erection.

But when she voiced her request, he paused, mouth finally pulling away from its light suckling of the puncture wound. His tongue swathed over the area to clean any small traces remaining before he lifted his head slowly, wet appendage sliding up along her neck and jaw and moving to the left side of her head.

Fakir then breathed into her ear, his cool lips just slightly grazing the outer shape. And at last, he gave her his answer, hiding a smirk into her red curls.

"_Beg_."

His cold, toned muscles were pleasing to the touch, and she couldn't stop tracing over the contours of his abdomen. Her hands idly danced upward, experimentally pressing her palms against his chest beneath his black shirt.

With a sharp intake of breath at the feel of his ministrations to her chest through her white garment, Ahiru's own digits found his nipples. A deep blush formed across her cheeks as she allowed her fingertips to brush against them. He felt...so strong and stable. As if she could depend on him no matter what...

Her thigh began to move in time with his thrusts, and her own hips finally matched the tempo of his. But his tongue gliding up against her jaw and face had her shivering and unable to think straight by this point.

Another quiver washed through her with his lips against her ear, and the words he spoke.

And she _wanted_ to beg. Honestly. But he-! He couldn't just tell her what to do! Even if he was driving her insane with desire, and his breathy command had her squirming beneath him.

Ahiru's always been rather stubborn, however.

"I-I-! You can't just-!"

"Oh, but I _can_."

He hid the amusement on his features as he kept his face leaned into her, out of sight. And his husky breath continued to tease her ear as he slid the front of his pants up along her leg _excruciatingly slowly_.

Always so defiant. Always so against demands. And it only made him want her more - burning with the desire to force her to submit to his will.

Was it mere demonic tendencies that spurred him? Was it something else she pulled from deep within him? Was it punishment for what she had put him through before this point? He didn't know - and didn't care.

His hands on her chest became rough and insistent, prying the supple mounds this way and that and squeezing the breasts between the full grip of his fingers on either side. And then he spontaneously removed one hand, sliding it to the bottom of her shirt and gliding up underneath the clothing piece as he met the searing, hot flesh across her abdomen.

And his head finally fell from its position at her ear, taking off where his hand left - and harshly sucking the fabric over the small nub there, moistening that area of cloth completely in a matter of seconds.

"N-No, I-!"

But she was cut off, the onslaught of sensations brought upon by his hips rubbing so sensually against her leg and the coldness of his hand against her hot skin making her squirm even more beneath him, desperate for more of his touch.

Her body arched into him, pushing her breasts more fully against his mouth, whimpers escaping her with every breath.

God, why did he have to be so good...?

"B-But I-! That's not f-fair and-!"

Fairness? Hah. What was that? Was it fair that she drove him insane just by being introduced to her unique smell and that unexplainable attraction? Was it fair that he would have to give her up after this to go back to where she belonged? Was it fair that he couldn't keep her for himself without selfishly putting her life on the line?

He sucked even harder on her breast, grabbing the other one so taught that it would likely hurt given his inhuman strength. And with a muffled grunt, he rubbed his length into her inner thigh in small circular motions.

Fakir wasn't sure where her breaking point was or how to set it off, but he was determined to find it. And take advantage of it. He wouldn't be satisfied until she was screaming his name in need.

If she was indeed bringing out the sadist in him, well, that was just unfortunate for her.

"_Do it_."

He was right. It _did_ hurt, and she had to hold in a squeal, the intense contradicting sensations of pain and pleasure coursing through her system.

Why did he have to push her so far...?

"Ahnn...I w-want...please..."

_"Louder_."

She didn't think that would mollify him, did she? Silly girl.

The vampire pressed closer to her center with his groin, panting from the increasing throb of his length. Aching to get out... aching for something more...

With his mouth still upon her breast, he bit down through the cloth, fangs slicing through with ease and meeting the soft flesh beneath.

Oh god, he was so close and...

When the skin of her breasts hit the open air through the rip in her blouse, she moaned, openly and unrestrained.

She couldn't take it anymore-!

"P-_Please_, Fakir, I-! I need-! Mnn..."

A pleasurable chill ran up his spine. That was what he wanted to hear, even if it was less that she wanted to and more that he was making her express the need vocally.

Did it really matter at this point? ...Not really.

He licked at the tiny trails of blood that had bloomed from his bite on her chest, taking a small detour afterward to swirl his tongue around the bared nipple.

"Hnnngh... Keep going." He urged with a brush over the open skin with lips that had taken on some of her heat, grinding his lower body down into her in rough, jerky movements.

She panted heavily, the pain of the small wound on her chest overwhelmed by the immense pleasure of his tongue on her skin. She ground her hips against him in return.

And she broke.

"Nnn! F-Fakir! _Please_! I want more! I want more, _please_!"

With that, he ceased rubbing up into her, pulling his trouser-trapped erection back far enough to snake down the hand from beneath her shirt and lower it to the waistband of her skirt.

Too impatient by this point (despite it being his own fault), he ripped the cloth out of the way without even bothering to take it off properly, successfully opening the path to her panties. And his fingertips hovered over her barely-clothed core, his breath drawing in sharply at the moisture that met his digits upon the first touch.

She was so wet, so _ready_ for him...

He curled his hand under her, letting her essence coat his fingertips as he rubbed over the intensely heated connection point of her legs.

And Fakir knew what he wanted there so much more than his fingers.

"Wha-! H-Hey, that's my-!"

But her protest to his shredding of her skirt was completely cut off.

As soon as he touched her most intimate, secret, sensitive spot, she squealed, Ahiru's hands shooting up to dig her fingertips into his shoulders, desperate for some sort of control on her part.

Her thighs clenched around his hand, hips moving against his fingers as he continued to stroke her over her panties. Her toes curled, and her face flushed, and suddenly, nothing made sense anymore. And she didn't care in the least.

When feeling this _good_, nothing else mattered. Just Fakir, and being near him for as long as possible...

"Hmmmnnn...! F-Fakiiiiiir..."

He groaned as her legs compacted around his hand, driving his palm and fingers up into her dampened underwear even further. Wriggling his hand, he adjusted his fingers to slip in from the side and under the curved part of the thin fabric by her thigh, touching the dripping heat with his bare fingers.

Her essence seared and excited him, provoking one finger to pump recklessly right up into her core, exploring her tight wetness.

The feeling was so powerful and overwhelming just from that little dip inside with his finger that he openly panted against her breast, his hips moving to gyrate against her leg.

Oh Hell, if it felt that indescribable just around his finger, he couldn't imagine what it would feel like around the full girth of his length...

And that caused his finger to start moving in and out of her quickly, his breath fanning out erratically across her chest as he struggled to keep his eyes from clenching shut from the sensations.

"I want... need to have... damn, you're so tight...!"

Oh _god_...

She couldn't even describe. His invasion of her core with just his finger almost drove her right to the edge. She had no idea what exactly she was striving for, or what was building up rapidly within her, or what would happen once that peak was reached...

But she knew she had to achieve it. And only Fakir could ever help her get there.

She tried to keep pace with the tempo his finger set, but she knew she could only be completely filled by...

She wanted...

"F-Fakir...i-inside, I-! You-!"

"_Nnngh_haah..."

With a rather extreme measure of reluctance, he extracted his finger out of her with a gasp. And swiftly lifted his hand out of her panties to grab the elastic band and pull them straight down (and tearing them unintentionally this time, in his enthusiasm), freeing her center to the air.

And no sooner had he finished that before his hands went to his pants, pulling the zipper free with so much haste that he ended up busting that, as well. But uncaring, he kicked back to remove his trousers, letting them flop off to the floor, and soon followed by black boxers.

"Aggghhnn-!"

The vampire hissed openly as his rock-hard erection was met by the open air, making it pulse even more desperately. He struggled not to just ram it forward like he wanted to _so badly_, and instead discarded his shirt, eager to eliminate the rest of the barriers as quickly as possible.

With that finished, he immediately reached forward and snagged the tear in her blouse, ripping it open the rest of the way, and pushing each part aside to hang on her arms.

Good enough, he decided.

And then, with no warning whatsoever, he grabbed her by the shoulders and drove himself right into her with a vicious growl, pushing in as far as he could embed his length in her saturated heat. His crimson eyes snapped wide open as the wild pleasure that attacked his senses from all angles left him momentarily in a state almost like shock.

It happened too fast for her to register.

All she knew was suddenly the cool air hit her very exposed skin, and before she could even react to being bare before him, he plunged right into her, burying his length deep into her core and stretching her walls to the very limit.

Even despite the moisture lubricating her essense...he was...big...and-!

It hurt...It hurt so much and she hadn't expected it... Her mouth opened into a silent scream, muscles clenching and body stiffening, desperately trying to adjust to his pulsating manhood.

She didn't want it to hurt though! She wanted to please him as well, and she couldn't if she was hurt...

Tears formed in the corners of her eyes, her nails digging into his cold skin of his shoulders.

Once he had regained his composure a moment later, Fakir prepared to follow the urge to start moving in and out of her-but paused when he caught sight of her face. Even if the room had not been just barely lit, he still would have been able to see it with his night-adjusted vision.

She looked to be in horrible pain. And panic suddenly seized him amidst the steady thrum of pleasure flowing through his veins.

Had he crushed something by accident?

He pulled back further to get a better look at her, trying to desperately ignore the desire to start thrusting into her soaking heat.

"What's...wrong?"

A few deep, shuddering breaths later, she opened her eyes, the pain dulling just a bit. But it was still there... She felt as if she was being torn apart...

But beneath it...something else began to stir, and the ache slowly formed into a needy, burning desire for more...

She lifted her hands to his face, trying to blink away her tears.

"...I-I'm sorry I-! J-Just a m-moment..."

He took a deep, hesitant, and very-unneeded breath as he glanced away from her.

Remorse was still something he wasn't used to feeling. At all. And it sat uncomfortably in the pit of his stomach, churning amidst the other, much more pleasing feelings that encouraged him to start creating friction between their centers.

"Did I... Do you feel like something's broken?"

Damn. If he broke something down there, she probably wouldn't even be able to walk...

And moments later, the pain finally dulled enough for her to feel the full force of his length filling her to the brim.

He completed her. It was as if she had been waiting for him all her life just to finally be whole. Physically and emotionally...he was her other half, and she hadn't even known him for a day.

With shaking limbs, she hefted herself upward to place her lips to his cold ones in a tiny, chaste kiss.

Of course something was broken. The health classes in the academy warned about that. And while it was painful...it was worth it...

"I'm...i-it's okay...K-Keep going..."

The vampire scowled, flashing his fangs in exasperation and annoyance.

He'd just _love_ to keep going, dammit, but if he ended up crushing her entire body in the process, then what? Accept that he screwed up and put her out of her misery?

Like hell.

"_No_. Tell me what the hell happened. Did a bone or something break?"

He couldn't very well continue doing this to her if she was injured. No matter how damn badly he wanted it.

Some part of him couldn't accept doing that to her.

Ahiru turned away, feeling a bit shy so suddenly. Which was a bit ridiculous, considering how..._connected_ they were at the moment. And with every passing moment, she grew more and more eager to continue...

"S-Something...i-it's my first time so...inside...I...It's normal..."

His scowl faded to a frown.

He hadn't bothered to look up anything about this sort of intimacy, of course. But if she was sure that something like a bone or internal organ wasn't injured, then...

Maybe it would be all right to...

But he didn't even finish that thought before he automatically pulled back and slammed right back in, fighting down a groan.

So this... was the 'pleasures of the flesh'. And that description fit perfectly. Even if it felt like _all_ of him was basking in those intense and unfathomable sensations.

With renewed eagerness, he quickly began to rock in and out of her, his hands moving from her shoulders to her arms. And upon finding her hands with his, he thrust them up at either side of her head, holding her wrists taught against the furniture as he pumped in and out of her searing, slick core.

And once more, she was completely taken by surprise when he pulled back and then plunged in once more.

And this time, she couldn't even remember the pain anymore. Just the sheer size and power of his length and his thrusts, and the way he had her trapped and at his mercy right against his armchair.

She did the best she could, trying to match his pace and buck against him in return, her legs attempting to lift up and wrap around his waist, driving him even deeper into her center.

Gasping for breath, her hands attempted to escape his grip, and she was suddenly filled with the inexplicable urge to touch him, though apparently he wasn't letting her...

God, she was so close all ready...! She didn't have any idea what exactly she was close to, but she knew she _had_ to have it...!

"Th-that's it-! That's-yes!"

Fakir immediately used the new leverage and the grip of her legs around him to his advantage, lifting up to his knees as he nearly pulled completely out of her.

Then he jut his hips forward with more force, pushing her down into the plush chair and repeating the procedure with a quick pace. He could feel the pulsing in her wrists against his fingertips as he held them captive, the sensation somehow heightening his crest of pleasure even further.

"-hiru..."

Had he not been aware that his body was naturally cold, he would have thought himself to be on fire. Her heat was invading his skin and the blood inside of him was spreading its own bubbling warmth throughout his system endlessly. It was such a heady, alien, but undeniably amazing feeling.

This girl... she was changing so many things. So many of his constants were being shattered to pieces.

Leaning forward with a series of pants as he penetrated her over and over, he crushed his mouth to hers messily, tongue swirling below her lip before gliding into her hot mouth.

This was his. All his for the taking. At least for now...

She was powerless to stop him.

Not that she wanted to. Far from it. With every movement he made, every slamming thrust into her entrance, she felt something building up within her, and she was almost ready to _burst_ from it.

The entanglement was anything but what she imagined her first time to be like. Perhaps on her wedding night, gentle and sweet...

But this. This was undeniably more aggressive and wild than she had ever imagined, and she was certain that no one else could please her this way. She didn't even want to give anyone else a chance.

It was almost ferocious and animalistic in nature. The way Fakir continued to take full advantage of his superior strength had her essentially in the palm of his hand. Even her severe stubborn streak couldn't protest to the delicious, white-hot feeling of being penetrated so completely and so deeply.

Ahiru was almost there-! And with every one of his thrusts, she released a scream into his mouth, echoing into his scarcely-furnished room.

Those cries were like music to his ears, even muffled against his mouth.

It wasn't the same as the kind of screams some of his smarter victims would make before the killing blow. No, her shrill screeches were a vocal declaration of how she enjoyed what they were doing - and what he was doing to her.

Odd to think that anyone could encourage a vampire to feed from them, much less that same vampire to do them roughly in an armchair afterward. But despite not knowing the redheaded girl, he almost _expected_ odd things from her by now.

And if this was the result, well, who was he to protest. He had never experienced a night quite like this, and he wouldn't trade it, or her, for anything.

His lower body kept grinding in and out with a steadily increasing pace, the power behind each push of his hips barely reigned in enough not to cause damage to her frail human frame.

And taste of her mouth, although sweet and heated, couldn't quite compare to something that would only make this even better...

His hands constricted around her wrists, lips and tongue detracting from her mouth and lowering, as though provoked by that pulse thrumming against his fingertips. Instead of returning to his last bite mark he recklessly sunk his teeth into the skin of her neck on the other side to create a new one, and sucked feverishly from the fresh wound.

And never once, for even a moment, did he stop moving inside of her.

With the strain he was putting on her, she could vaguely acknowledge the pain she'd have later; all ready, her thigh muscles ached something fierce, and the new puncture wounds in her neck would definitely be as noticeable as those on the other side.

But with the additional pain, and his overwhelming power and speed, it was hard not to just tumble right off the edge and into whatever oblivion that waited for her at the bottom...

It was too soon! She had to keep this going for as long as possible! She couldn't let this end! Not when she had a gut feeling that as soon as the finished, they'd probably never, ever see one another again...

So, the burning, aching desire within her swelled up, until she was certain that the pain of holding back from her release would drive her insane.

The combination of her delicious blood and the slick and scorching connection of their centers was rapidly building something inside of him. He could feel it growing, spreading, and expanding with every swallow and every thrust.

It was hard to keep his mind from hazing out, but he struggled not to lose _all_ control. That would spell disaster. If the demon part of him took over completely, he was sure that something terrible would happen. And he would be powerless to stop it.

However, even with that lingering on the edge his mind, he kept wanting to move harder and faster. The chair was steadily thumping against the wall behind it, even leaving a few indents and chipping away the old paint. But he almost couldn't hear it beyond her beating pulse, which seemed amplified as he drank from her.

Any normal person would have tired by this point, or at least have begun to show weakness. But Fakir was, unfortunately, far from normal.

And that was it. She couldn't take it anymore.

Out of nowhere, something exploded inside of her, her release was achieved, and she flew right off the edge without any restraint whatsoever. Her essense spilled over his swiftly intruding length and onto the plush armchair that he continued to plow her into.

With a final scream, her walls tightened around him, milking him for all his worth.

The trigger of her release sent thrilling shudder down his back, and a deep groan climbed from his throat when her inner walls clamped around his length, squeezing it with more vigor than than ever before.

The vampire's mouth finally detached from her neck, not even bothering to diligently clean up the mess he made. The pleasure was too intense to concentrate on any one thing. So he continued to thrust through her incredible tightness, hands pulling from her wrists to cross through her fingers with his own and literally dig right _into_ the chair behind, fastening both to the furniture much more securely.

And still, that inner level of pleasure was rising with every action, silently begging for more...

As wave upon wave of her orgasm continued to crash down on her, drowning her relentlessly, she was still forced into his rapid, impossibly swift tempo, body moving in time with his and breasts bouncing with every pound into her. She couldn't escape him even if she wanted to, with her hands so completely trapped against the armchair.

Panting, she flinched a bit when he pushed in at a certain angle, stimulating one, tiny spot within her that she couldn't place. And the flames of ecstasy were immediately rekindled.

Suddenly, even after feeling so exhausted just now...she wanted more...

"Nghhhah... hah...hahn..."

It was impossible for him to _be_ breathless, but the closer that peak was to his straining reach, the more he felt almost like breathing meant something now. No matter how flawed that thinking truly was - he couldn't think straight, anyway.

His lust-ridden crimson eyes watched her chest bounce in time with his fast pace, mesmerized by the flouncing flesh, reddened on both sides from his earlier attentions - even sporting what looked like could form a bruise where his fingers had grabbed her so unforgivingly.

But somehow, the sight of leaving those marks - marks and blemishes that clearly labeled her as _his_ - threw him up and over that cliff, plummeting down into euphoria before he could even realize what had happened.

"Yesssssssss... 'hiru..." He hissed out as his first orgasm in well over a hundred years crashed in on him from all sides, making his body shake as he clutched to her hands and let the release take him.

"F-Fakir..."

Just as she began to feel those building urges once more, he released into her, a burst of warmth filling her to the brim and taking her breath away.

That was...

She squirmed beneath him, his essense stirring something completely anew within her. She...wanted more of him... Even if they both had finished. But she couldn't find it in herself to voice it.

All she could do was dig her fingernails into the cold skin of his hands.

It wasn't long before he came down from that pleasurable high, his limbs still giving a quiver every few moments, but otherwise, he didn't appear even strained, much less exhausted.

He shifted, still inside of her, and felt a tingle erupt anew in his groin area. There was still more... he still _wanted_ more.

"I'm not done with you..." He voiced huskily, sounding something between a threat and a promise. And with that, he eased out of her with uncharacteristic slowness, moaning openly into the air, and then pushing back in with the same languid speed.

Even just that was causing his length to get stiff again, aroused from that one simple stroke through her core, which was now filled with the evidence of both her and his recent releases.

Just his words alone had her shivering all over again.

That was perfectly fine with her. She didn't _want_ him to be done with her yet. Because the more they shared in one another this way, the more she could keep her mind off of what would happen to them afterwards.

Ahiru's clouded eyes fluttered a bit, before she lifted her hips to move slowly against him in return.

"Nnn...s-so good..."

Fakir didn't rush this time - not yet, at least. He could feel that her body had definitely been stretched and thoroughly strained, even if his had not.

And he wasn't ready to bring her back yet. Hell, he wasn't sure if he would be able to, even though he knew its what he had to do. She had a life to live and likely people that cared about her and needed her. The demon part of him wanted to ruthlessly tear her away from it all and keep her despite that, but feelings of regret and guilt were starting to make themselves known after laying dormant for so long.

Grunting, the vampire mercilessly pushed the emotions from his mind, banishing his conscience. He couldn't think of that right now-for now, he could enjoy her this way.

With that, he swiftly switched their positions, deciding to do something a little different that would perhaps be a bit easier on her fragile human body. As thrilling as it was to have her begging beneath him and fully dominated, she deserved a break from the punishment. And preferably before something occurred that he could not fix.

After all, she had made him feel more complete than he ever had in his years of life or afterlife.

So he sat the girl down on his lap, tugging off the remaining bits of blouse that clung to her arms, and lifted her with ease, sliding her up and down over his length.

Ahiru almost limply allowed him to maneuver her into a new position, gasping as her upright state allowed him to reach even deeper into her dripping core.

Her head rolled back with a groan, letting him take the reins and allowing him to set the pace, breasts still bouncing a bit from the rather languid pace he set. As he slid her up and down on his length, burying into her in the deepest way possible, Ahiru began to roll her hips in a circular motion, stimulating that one tiny spot that seemed to send shivers through her body with every small sensation.

Ahiru's hands, now that they were free from the confines of the armchair, wandered down, tracing patterns across his cold chest and abdomen.

His eyes closed briefly as her hot digits burned into his frigid skin, stifling a groan deep in his throat.

She could almost make his skin feel like it was warm, even if there was no beating heart to give him any true life or warmth within. Just the residue of her touch left that faded, fleeting impression. And he reveled in it.

Fakir carefully began to quicken his pace again, spurred forward by the feel of her hands, the sight of her flushed and bouncing on his manhood, and exquisite penetration deep into her center. He was already quite hard and dully throbbing again, even from so little.

She may have been human, but the effect she had on him was certainly something special, almost otherworldly and even beyond his own demonic understanding.

Slowly, that burning sensation within her began to swell again. She threw her head back with another high-pitched moan, her nails growing rougher and raking across Fakir's cool skin.

Somehow, his frigid skin soothed her aching limbs as she bounced freely up and down upon his shaft, grateful for the new position. It was far less painful, and the angle of his penetration continued to stimulate her in ways she couldn't even explain.

"Hmmmnn...Fakir...!"

And all ready, she was being pushed toward that same peak again. She didn't think it was possible to feel such ecstasy the first time, let alone a second...

As the rhythm increased, he shortened his thrusts so he could almost just bounce her up and down on his lap. He knew he _could_ have increased the tempo with the longer and higher strokes, but he had the feeling that would probably disorient her rather quickly. Humans weren't meant to move at a speed like that, even when attached to a creature of the night.

And even though her fingers were scraping into his chest, he could feel no semblance of pain. It was more like sharp trails of concentrated heat that followed her fingertips and it was pleasant to indulge in.

He was aching to do some touching of his own, but he was aware that she likely didn't have the strength to move over his newly-instated erection, so he couldn't move his hands from the task of pumping her over himself.

The vampire settled for leaning in and burying his face into the valley between her breasts, licking and suckling at the perspiration mixed with the drops of blood that had strayed down from the sloppy bite on her neck.

Ahiru took a sharp intake of breath, tangling her fingers through Fakir's hair as he ravaged the area between her breasts, lightly tugging at his as her walls began to clamp down around him tighter with every passing second.

God, so close all ready...!

"F-Fakir...I'm going to-!"

She didn't know what was happening anymore. Fakir had long since taken complete control of her by now, and all she could do was hold on and allow him to take her in any way he saw fit. And while Ahiru never wanted to be controlled anymore, she wanted _Fakir_ to dominate her. Just him. No one else.

If only because she wouldn't be able to keep up on her own.

Her eyes rolled back as she arched her body against him, encouraging him to lick at her skin even more.

So close-!

Fakir gladly took the offer, sliding his tongue down and around to the breast he had yet to pay any attention to with his mouth. He found the nipple and closed his lips around it, suckling her as he started to buck himself into the pumping motions of his lower body up against hers, increasing the power of every thrust.

And he could feel her getting close again - her inner lips were becoming more desperate to hold his length, trying to trap it in place - and indirectly sending a towering wave of pleasure flooding through him.

How tight she still was after everything they had already done was nothing short of incredible, and he certainly wasn't going to complain. The clench of her felt indescribable upon his pulsating manhood and he couldn't get enough of it.

He growled and grunted into her flesh as he continued to jerk himself up into her, the rumble from each noise moving through his own chest as he teased her nipple with his tongue. And despite the definite temptation that lurked beneath the surface whenever his mouth was upon her warm flesh, he decided not to bite her again. She had plenty of his clear markings already, and at this point, she could probably stand to keep a bit more of her own blood to herself.

Besides, that ever-escalating build was getting near its bursting point again. He could definitely sense it - and he couldn't wait to dive off that cliff of ecstasy again.

"Fakir...Fakir I'm...!"

Once more, she found herself struggling to hold it in for as long as possible, needing to delay the time until this was over. She held his head to her chest desperately, unwilling to release him as he had full control over the rest of her body.

His swift movements, however, broke through her determination to last as long as possible, and for the second time that night, she burst into her release, screaming into the air as she contined to ride up and down his length, her sweet essence spilling over him once more.

She convulsed almost violently, her head whipping from side to side. She couldn't take it anymore! It was too much and the pleasure just attacked her from all sides and-!

"Naaaghh-iru...!"

He urged her on through her orgasm with his swift pacing, drilling into her over and over and filling her as much as he possibly could with every pumping movement.

The grip he had been moving her up and down with was digging mercilessly into her skin, cool fingers and nails searing into her heated sides. And he let her keep hold on his head, if just to steady herself, no matter how easily he could extract it if he wished. Not to mention that he was far too busy lavishing attention to her breast by alternating his tongue and lips over the mound and the pert nub to care.

He felt her inner juices trailing down over his shaft and pooling in his lap and on the chair, ever-warm to the cold skin of his thighs.

And finally, at last, her piercing scream was enough to drive him off and into oblivion, a loud groan escaping him as he threw his head back away from her, pulling her back with him onto his lap and released into her a second time. And he still managed to keep his hips moving against hers even while he rode out his own peak of pleasure, as if not wanting to stop even for a moment until he was done.

Ahiru limply moved along with his frantic, almost inhuman pace, a whimper escaping her when he once more filled her as he released, shuddering violently as her own orgasm continued to crash down on her over and over again, not leaving her any time to breathe at all.

Had it not been for Fakir's bruising grip on her hips, she would've collapsed by now. Her entire body felt wobbly, almost like liquid...

Her eyes unfocused, she swayed, still relying on Fakir's hold and their intimate connection to remain upright.

Once again, he wasn't left feeling even vaguely tired afterward. But as he stopped moving and his red eyes refocused to fix on the redhead sitting down upon his limp length, it was plain to tell that she was almost _completely_ spent.

Pushing her any further than this would surely do her harm. No matter how much he didn't want it to be over.

So he pulled out of her with a grunt, moving over slightly so he could situate her on his lap a bit more comfortably. And his arms wrapped around her, tugging her down to lay against his chest as he breathed in her scent, fingers curling possessively over her still-hot skin.

"...I don't want to give you back to your world."

The words were both honest and selfish, but he felt that he needed to say them.

She released a tiny whimper when he removed himself from within her, and suddenly, she felt it.

That emptiness.

This was the beginning of the end, wasn't it?

Ahiru remained limp on his chest, one hand pressed against the area where his heart would beat if he was still alive... And tears formed at his small, honest statement. She answered, timidly, quietly, laced with exhaustion.

"...Then...don't."

He half-snorted, ruffling her hair with the breath.

"It's not as though I have a choice, idiot. You have a life to live. Mine's been over for a long time."

Despite those words, his grip didn't slacken or release her. To be honest, he didn't know what to do now. He wanted to keep her. Just for himself. He didn't want to share her with anyone else, no matter how illogical such feelings were.

Especially considering they had only met a few hours ago. And so many things had happened. It was a rollercoaster that never seemed to end.

Only now, it had come to a stop. And as much as it pained him, he had to do the right thing. At least once. At least for her.

Even accepting that, it took a long moment before he could coax himself to speak again.

"...Where do you live?"

She didn't respond to anything he said.

How could she bring herself to? He _did_ have a choice! And she left her life behind in that mansion...

She no longer lived there. In fact, _this_ is where she lived. Right here in Fakir's arms. Because she felt as though she'd been dead all her life until she had met him just this evening. A few hours it had been. But for those few hours, she was _alive_.

So, she said nothing, only wrapping her arms around his torso.

He frowned.

As much as it inwardly thrilled him that she obviously didn't want to leave him (not that he could understand why), he was starting to worry about her sanity.

"Hey. I asked you a question."

He pulled her back to look her in the eyes, red probing her blue.

"You have a family, do you not? What the hell are you doing thinking of abandoning them and the life ahead of you for something like _me_?"

He bared his fangs as if to make that point more clear.

A creature from hell did not deserve someone like her. He had already gone so far as to drink from her and soil her with his darkness - even _mark_ her up. He, a murderer, a vampire, and now a traitor to the ways of his own kind.

She did not deserve to be damned with him.

"You don't understand the _danger_ you're in here, you foolish girl."

At that, she finally glanced up at him, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"I left. That's how I ended up at the bar. I-I don't...I can't go back. That's the fate I've escaped, and you're_ not _going to take me back there..."

Ahiru turned away from his red eyes, her own blue blazing with determination.

"I wanted a life of my own. Where I could make my own choices and be myself, and being with you gave me everything I wanted...even for just a short while... But...it was more than just the excitement or the thrill! It was...I just..."

His brows furrowed in confusion as she spoke, his crimson eyes staring at her unblinkingly.

For her to run away, for her to claim she didn't even have a life of her own...

"Just who are you, anyway?"

"...I'm..."

It was kind of ironic, him asking that question after what they had just engaged in. Though, Ahiru couldn't bring herself to say they went too fast. Because it just felt too right...

"...The governor's daughter."

His grip around her stiffened, his body going still.

The vampire didn't even know the governor _had_ a daughter. But... this made things ten times worse. The governor was an important political figure to the city, after all.

If his daughter went missing... the _whole bloody place _would be on the lookout for her.

Come to think of it, that explained the surprised stares she had received in the pub when her cloak fell down, as well. She was apparently very recognizable to the other humans.

This... was not good at all.

"You _moron_." He hissed into her hair. "They're going to be looking everywhere for you! Even I can't hide you well when so many of your kind will be searching for you. Hell, these abandoned buildings are probably the first places they'll look."

Hadn't she thought about the consequences at all? If she needed to get away from her home, she should have considered going far, _far_ away. Not running around with a cloak on.

She flinched at his words, but said nothing.

Ahiru had planned to be out of the city by morning. But of course, she found herself here instead.

Slowly, she lifted herself off his chest, her limbs still aching and feeling too drained for movement. But...he was probably right. The more she stayed, the easier it would be to find her here.

She wasn't going to go back. No matter what happened tonight, or how much she wanted to stay with Fakir, she would never let him take her back to that place.

Even if she had to be off on her own again.

Fakir's frown deepened to a scowl at her lack of response. And he didn't fight her pulling away from him this time.

He still didn't understand the situation very well, but she certainly wasn't giving him much of anything to work with.

And he was almost starting to suspect that her motives for this whole night were likely very different from his own. She was in a rush to get away from something, and obviously being reckless and rash in her actions. Or maybe she was some kind of thrill-seeker. Distraction was probably the first and foremost thing on her mind, after all.

Was that... what he was? Was that why she didn't care whenever he had threatened her, when her life was hanging on a simple thread? Why the consequences seemed not to matter at all to her?

"Is this some kind of _escapism_ to you?"

Her eyes widened, her blood running cold.

It wasn't like that! He was getting the wrong idea! It was so much more than that, and around Fakir...she just wanted to stay with him. Their meeting meant more to her than anything else in the world right now...

"No, F-Fakir-! If it was like that, I wouldn't have d-done this with you! The reason I wanted to help you was because it _hurt_ to see you like that, and for some reason I just wanted to be by your side and-! I-I haven't known you for a day, but I feel like I... This meant...so much to me..."

He narrowed his red eyes critically as he searched hers, but after a few moments of scrutinizing, he could sense no apparent dishonesty.

So what did this _mean_ if the both of them had been pulled together by some unknown force? They had engaged in many rash acts and he had put her in insurmountable danger here. If he was to keep her somehow, what in the world was he to do?

...It was true that he had no attachments to this place. Not to the city itself, its bloodbank of humans, or the rest of his kind scattered about. She was the only thing out of it that mattered at all to him.

His cold arms and hands returned to their vice hold on her naked form, snaking around her breasts and her waist and pulling her to him again.

"...Fine then. I claim you. But we must leave this place as soon as possible. Not only is your kind a problem, but so is mine. And I've put you in enough danger already."

As she found herself pressed against him, she sighed contentedly, grateful for his cool skin against her heated body.

He wanted to stay with her, too...

Ahiru nodded, resting her cheek against his chest and wrapping her arms around him.

"...Mm. ...Could I...claim you, too?

For some reason...she wanted to be his only one.

A human claiming a vampire was laughable, really. Such beings couldn't be tied down. They took, they killed, they showed no mercy.

But he... had already broken the pact of his kind. The fact that she was still alive annihilated the code of secrecy. No one was to have knowledge about their existence. No survivors were to be left. Even accidental witnesses had to be disposed of.

And when he thought about it, her words were unneeded, anyway. She had ensnared him since the very moment she walked in the bar that night.

"...There's no need. I'm already yours. Whatever this magic may be, I am as much a prisoner to it as you are. That much was apparent since I first laid eyes on you. If that wasn't the case..." He absently nuzzled into her hair, breathing in that intoxicating scent again. "You'd be dead. I betrayed my kind by letting you live. Our existence is not to be known by humans."

"Oh..."

Her arms tightened around him, a soft smile on her lips.

"...Hm. I guess...you don't have to claim me, either then. But if you want to, it's fine..."

She began to place light kisses against his cold chest. Maybe this was the feeling her mother spoke about. Love at first sight, perhaps? Maybe. Maybe not. Ahiru was never really sure about whether to believe in that or not.

Either way, she belonged right here in his arms, and he openly admitted that in some way, they belonged to each other.

He had even gone against his very kind for her.

"...Hey, Fakir?"

"_Mine_."

The vampire spoke firmly into her ear, his grip about her warm bare body tightening a smidgen.

He didn't expect her to understand his possessiveness. She wasn't of his kind. She didn't realize that a scent as pure and strong as hers could easily attract hungry vampires. And he knew there would be no spark with them like there had been with him - they would want her simply for the blood and nothing more.

It was no real surprise that her 'running away' resulted in being found by a creature of the night. The fact that she had been safely away in the governor's manor was likely why she had been safe up to this point. There were too many vampires around here... he needed to get her out before he risked losing her completely.

Which he would not allow to happen.

And he had been so lost in those thoughts that it took a moment for him to realize that she was trying to get his attention.

His crimson-colored gaze flickered down to her again.

"Hn?"

Her smile widened at his small declaration, and she leaned even closer to him. His. She was his.

"I just wanted to tell you that you owe me new clothes..."

Oh, right. He'd kind of... shredded them off, hadn't he? And humans needed warmth. That wasn't something he could provide on his own, given his cold body.

"Hmph. You can use mine, for now. They should keep your warm enough for the night. Temperature makes no difference to me."

Though he mentally added to put his boxers back on, at least. For decency's sake.

She glanced up, placing her hand to his cool cheek and rubbing her thumb across his skin.

"All right... And thank you for tonight, too."

Fakir was mildly surprised that her skin and touch was still so warm. He thought his own coldness would have sucked away a bit of her heat by now, but that certainly didn't _feel_ correct.

And he almost snorted at her last comment. Killing a man in cold blood in front of her, threatening her, drinking from her, pounding her against an armchair, marking her up like crazy... and she was_ thanking _him?

He was still lost as to how this strange human girl wasn't scared stiff of him by now.

"...That's nothing to thank me for. Weirdo."

"I know...but...meeting you and...it was nice... And I'm not a weirdo. You're still a jerk, and you ripped up my clothes."

'Nice' was definitely not a word the vampire would associate with himself.

She was _definitely_ a weirdo.

"Hn. Wear less flimsy clothing, then."

...Despite the fact that he could easily rip off just about anything, even if she was encased in stone.

"Well, I didn't think it'd be shredded today, okay? But...I guess I could use better clothes."

"...Doesn't really matter."

He finally extracted his hold from her and rose from the chair with ease, finding his discarded boxers among his clothing and what remained of hers and pulling them back on.

Ahiru tried to stand, but...her legs just...couldn't move at the moment.

"C-Could you...umm...pass me the clothes or something?"

...Was that guilt that gave a sudden jab inside? He hoped not. Those unpleasant feelings were getting annoying.

Nonetheless, he reached down and gathered up his trousers and shirt, tossing them over to her and raising an eyebrow in something _almost_ like concern.

"Can you even manage to put them on?"

"...'M sore, not disabled."

She shifted about clumsily, trying to pull the trousers over her limp limbs.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you were, you know. Your kind are incredibly fragile."

And he would just not mention the fact that he had tried to hold himself back with her as much as he could. She didn't need to know that. She might get some other weird notion about him being 'nice'.

...And he wasn't, dammit.

"...Hm. I guess you would think so, hm..."

She pulled on his shirt, and stood on wobbly feet.

It was obvious she was pretty much swimming in his clothes.

He came forward to give her a small, but firm push back down into the chair.

"Don't get up if you're sore, idiot."

Although she looked strangely attractive wearing nothing but his shirt. ...A little too much, really.

She landed back on the chair with an OOF and frowned up at him.

"...Then how are we going to get going?"

Fakir sighs through his nose, glancing toward the door.

He _did_ want to get her away from here as soon as possible, for a number of reasons. But he had no destination in mind as of yet. And he'd already exhausted her with their... inappropriate activities.

"It should be all right for one night. You're in no state to travel, anyway. So get some sleep."

With a sigh, she leaned back against the armchair, curling up in Fakir's shirt with a smile.

"...All right. Then we'll go tomorrow. Bright and early."

He side-glances toward her, sending her a frown.

"Assuming you're in any better shape in the morning. ...But for now, just sleep. You certainly look like you need it."

"...All right."

Her eyes shut, but she's still smiling. She's not sleeping just yet.

Once again, he mused that she really was odd. Not that a lot of humans weren't, judging by their behavior, but it was almost like the redheaded girl never reacted to anything with what he expected.

Even when she really _should_ have.

He couldn't read her or her behavior at all. Whereas he could predict and manipulate the actions other humans with incredible ease.

Shaking his head slightly, he walked over to his desk in the corner, pulling back the chair and sitting down. She would probably need all the heat she could scrounge to get some rest, so he opted instead to spend the time mulling over their options of where to go. Even if his arms already felt empty without her warmth pressed against him.

Shoving that thought out of his mind, he pulled out a piece of paper and a quill, jotting down an option or two for a place for them to go.

Things were certain to get more interesting in his life-after-death, now that she had unwittingly stumbled into it. He only hoped that he would have the strength to protect her from the dangers ahead.


	4. Night at the Club

A/N: Manda-chan: Hey, folks! I'm sorry that it's been awhile! RL got um... very stressful and worrisome for me with family issues. But things are finally getting better, so I thought I would edit up another one of these to share with you guys.

The girl who roleplayed this one with me goes by Yuuki-neechan. And unfortunately, as she's been busy with RL herself, she is not available for commentary here. :( But she plays Fakir in this one, while I take on the role of Ahiru. Also, after discussing with the others involved in doing these RPs, we have decided to keep the brackets in so you can tell where one character's part ends and the other starts. (Also, Ahiru uses single brackets [] while Fakir uses double [[]]. And any NPCs will have their speech put into italics. I hope it makes things easier to follow!

About this fic: Prompt was "Night Club", so this is modern-ized! Fakir and Ahiru are also quite a bit older than in canon.

Warning: This is very NC-17 material! There is graphic sex involved here, as well as intoxication and dirty dancing. Please don't read this if you are underage!

Disclaimer: We do not own Princess Tutu or any of its characters. It belongs to Itoh Ikuko. We are merely borrowing the characters for fun and enjoyment.

That said, hope you enjoy this next little 'story'. It's another long one!

* * *

**Night At the Club**

* * *

[[A tall blonde woman swung her hips as her heels clicked across the ground. She weaved her way through the dancing couples, a confident smirk stretching across haughty, full red lips, well-manicured hands resting on her skin-tight black dress-covered hips, eyeing the young man sitting at the bar with sharp hazel eyes.

Dark hair pulled into a low ponytail, broad shoulders, handsome features, a nice ass...

However, she stopped in her tracks when that man turned toward her on his stool, green eyes narrowed with irritation and lip twisted into a scowl. His very expression almost dared her to approach him when he was in such a foul mood.

Almost as if she were frightened by his glare alone, she quickly made a beeline for the other side of the nightclub, far away from the forboding aura that radiated off of the handsome, cold young man.

And Fakir was thoroughly satisfied with this turn of events.

With a snort, he reached out for the shot of amber liquid before him, lifted it to his lips, and downed it straight with the flick of the wrist. Truly, the only thing that kept him sane in this horrible place was the alcohol. Why Mytho and his god-damn witch of a girlfriend suggested that this would be "good" for him-and literally blackmailed him into this-he would certainly never know. Nor would he ever care, for that matter.

He couldn't wait for this stupid night to be over. The ridiculous volume of the music rang almost painfully through his ears and the behavior of some of the couples on the dance floor was questionable at best. And he had enough of drunken women coming up to him with slurring words and offers to show him a "good time." Hell, he could really care less about social situations in general, much less a pointless nightclub.

It was just a matter of time before Mytho and Rue would be finished dancing and they would finally drive him home after the hell they put him through.

Fakir gestured to the bartender, lifting up his shotglass.]]

Another.

* * *

[ Ahiru glanced around the crowded establishment in a bundle of nerves and apprehension, unconsciously tugging the bottom of her rather short blue sleeveless dress.

She hadn't even been here five minutes and she didn't like the looks of the place. Dancing sounded fun, but... was what those couples on the floor doing even really _dancing_ at all? A lot of them were moving with each other in a way that she was sure wouldn't really be considered appropriate.

She swallowed as she locked her knees together, hoping that would help keep her dress from riding up at all. Pique and Lilie had said this would be a fun night out for all of them. And they'd all gotten 'dolled up' for the occasion - which was how she found herself wearing something so horribly uncomfortable in the first place.

However, right after entering the nightclub, her giggling friends had disappeared into the mass of people, and her calls for them had fallen flat and useless underneath the pulsing boom of the music. And now, Ahiru didn't know what to do. There were a few young men giving her sleazy looks of interest, and she tried her best not to make any eye contact with them.

Her blue gaze drifted around as she crossed her arms under her chest. Maybe there was a refreshments table somewhere with punch? Pique and Lilie had said it was kind of like the old school dances were back in high school... and that was half the reason she had been coaxed into coming along.

But this situation was really unsettling... ]

[[Fakir quickly downed the second shot and sent another scowl at a quickly-approaching brunette.

He took a bit of comfort in the fact that his glare still worked even after high school. As the brunette turned on her heel and swiftly walked into the opposite direction, he kept his irritated stare fixated on the woman until he was certain she wouldn't turn around.

Just as Fakir was about to turn away and gesture for another shot, a flash of bright red hair came into view and he couldn't help but do a double-take. That girl over there seemed incredibly uncomfortable.

He raised an eyebrow. Seeing a girl like that in a place like this...he didn't know whether to be amused or concerned. Considering that tall, blonde man with a drunken swagger making way toward her.

And he found himself watching. He typically never cared for the business of others, especially when he was in such a rotten mood himself. Maybe it was the alcohol in his system that made him so curious about her. She did look rather pathetic after all and he had to question if she was even old enough to be in there.

When the bartender refilled his shotglass, he held it between his fingers as the drunken man drew closer to the young girl.]]

[ Ahiru abruptly looked up when she saw a shadow approaching where her gaze was trailed on the floor, blue eyes widening as they landed on a young man that was easily a head and a half taller than her and smiling in a manner that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up on end.

Trying to at least force herself to be friendly and polite, she summoned a small smile to her lips, instinctively clutching her arms more tightly around herself.

Why did the look in this man's eyes make her want to run in the opposite direction? ]

U-Um, hello?

[ She shifted uncomfortably as his smile widened and he leaned closer, raising an eyebrow suggestively. ]

_What'sa pretty lil' thing like you doing all be 'erself?_

[ Ahiru forced a laugh, immediately looking away from his hazed brown eyes. ]

W-Well my friends kind of took off and I haven't seen them and I-

[ She cut off on a gasp when she felt the young man's fingers curl around one of her wrists and immediately took a step back. ]

_C'mon, sweetie. Let's dance. And I'll buy you a drink aft'ward. Hell, many as you want._

[ A chill instantly ran down her spine as she struggled to pull her captive hand back, her smile falling way to slight panic. This guy smelled _really_ strongly of something that made her stomach turn. ]

N-N-No thank you! I'm fine here!

[ But the grip didn't let up, the man still leering and teasingly tugging at her hand with a cheshire-like grin on his lips. ]

_Don' be like that, darlin'. S'just a dance. Won' hurt ya at all._

[ Ahiru recoiled, looking around desperately.

Was this behavior common here? The few people that she could see glancing in her direction looked more... _amused_ than anything. ]

[[Figures that a girl like that would find herself in that position. He snorted. And common sense dictated him to turn away and ask for another shot. Who cared what happened? If a moron like her willingly stepped into an environment like this, she should learn from her mistakes.

But after a moment of deliberation, Fakir turned back to the scene with a slightly lazy scowl. She was just too pathetic and stupid for him to just let some random drunk mess with her. As much as she deserved it, it was plainly pitiful.

He stood and swayed - damn it all, he had one too many shots, didn't he - and quickly shoved his hands in his pockets and made his way over. It was a bit difficult to focus after the alcohol, but then again, maybe it was the alcohol that made him actually care in the first place. He wasn't sure. He wasn't in the mood to dwell on it.

Stopping right in front of the two, he turned his glare to direct it at the redheaded girl, seemingly completely ignoring the presence of the other man. Reaching out, he placed a hand to her shoulder.]]

You're late.

[[And with a glance over to the drunk beside him, he stared him down, moving almost protectively between them.]]

...Can I help you?

[ The redhead nearly jumped when she felt the hand on her shoulder, blue eyes broadening in surprise as they fell on yet another young man she didn't recognize.

...Wait. Late? Late for what? He looked really irritated... Did Pique and Lilie set her up without even telling her!

Swallowing down her the new burst of nerves, she saw the other man shift under the newcomer's gaze, finally releasing her wrist. And as the blond man muttered something about the 'good ones always being taken' and staggered back off into the crowd, Ahiru felt a small swell of relief.

At least, until she remembered she wasn't alone and tensed again, looking uncertainly up at the dark-haired young man. He was rather handsome, but... he looked really displeased. Was she supposed to know him?

Before she knew what she was doing, the young woman felt spastic words tumbling right out of her mouth. ]

Er-um! I'm sorry! If I'm late-I wasn't told about meeting anyone-and my friends just-!

[[Just as he glared at the brunette until she was completely out of sight, Fakir maintained his scowl until the drunk staggered back into the crowds. And he instantly removed his hand from her shoulder, turning back to the freckled redhead.

She seemed so out of place in a nightclub. Modest, shy, uncertain.

...Absolutely stupid.

His eyebrow quirked.]]

You're not meeting me. You're just incredibly helpless.

[[What was she? Twelve years old? Well, he knew she wasn't. Maybe it was the alcohol again, but as he allowed himself to swiftly take in her form, he had to acknowledge that she was rather easy on the eyes. Perhaps a bit small and scrawny, but as much as he didn't want to admit it, Fakir found it refreshing in a place like this.

Before he could think on this further and compromise his sanity, he turned on his heel and back toward the bar. He needed another drink.]]

[ Ahiru blinked after the retreating figure, dumbfounded by the young man's behavior.

And then felt a hot rush of annoyance, coupled with mild embarrassment.

Where did he get off calling her helpless? Just because-of course she'd think she was late for something if he said she was late for something! And then he just walks off without even explaining anything and-! How...How _rude_!

And before the redhead could contemplate her actions, she was stalking after him unsteadily in her small heels, hands fisted at her sides. ]

Hey! Hey-you! Are you that rude to _everyone_?

[[Well, yes, to be frank. But he didn't bother to turn and answer her. Why the hell was she even following him?

He sat back down on the stool, gesturing to the bartender with the shotglass in his hand again. Maybe if he ignored her enough, the redhead would get bored and just leave.]]

Another.

[ Further irritated by his lack of response, she tromped all the way over to the young man, her heels clacking on the floor. And once she was almost directly in front of him, she cleared her throat loudly.

Even at her full height when he was sitting down, she didn't look remotely formidable. ]

Hey! I was talking to you! What's the big idea?

[[He gave her assistance, so why the hell wouldn't she just go away already? Fakir stared down into the amber liquid filling his shotglass to the brim before looking over his shoulder at the girl.

He really should've just let her deal with that problem on her own. This turned out to be just another waste of time.]]

Are you even old enough to be in here?

[ Taken aback by the question, she blinked. And then flushed rather pink, her eyebrows drawing together.

She couldn't help it if she didn't look her age! She wanted to be taller and pretty like most young women. She just... didn't fill out right.

Scowling, she pulled her lips back into something almost like a pout. ]

I had to use ID to get in, you know!

[ Huffing, she barely resisted the urge to kick his bar stool. Who'd he think he was, anyway? ]

So-So what was _that_ all about? You can't just insult someone and then just walk off like nothing happened!

[[Fakir had to stop himself from smirking at the light redness to her cheeks. Why that amused him, he had no idea. Again, probably the alcohol. This girl was so damn huffy. It was almost hilarious. And he had to give her credit for pushing this far.

Maybe with a higher level of sobriety, he would've been far more annoyed.

Trying not to allow the amusement from showing on his expression, he turned back to his still-full shotglass, not bothering to look at her while speaking.]]

I wasn't insulting you. I was merely making an observation. You should be grateful.

[ The redhead's eyebrows shot up. ]

G-_Grateful_?

[ She sputtered, clearly not having expected that. What did she have to be grateful for? He'd come out of nowhere and confused her with his claim of her being 'late'! And then he'd just walked off again after calling her helpless!

...And somehow, the truth of the situation never even occurred to her. She merely set one hand on her hip, blue eyes challenging him even when he wasn't meeting her gaze. ]

Why should I be grateful because you played some kind of prank on me?

[[Well. Fakir didn't think she would be THAT stupid. And just as he was about to tell her off once and for all, he caught sight of the blonde drunk still eyeing them at the bar from across the room. Damn it, was this guy that much of a stalker or something?

Grumbling under his breath, he downed his shot and gestured to the stool beside him.]]

Sit down.

[[He gestured to the bartender for another refill.]]

...And get the girl here a juicebox or something.

[[The idea that this little girl was capable of drinking was just laughable.]]

[ Her eyes widened and then narrowed indignantly. What made him think he could just boss her around!

And he wasn't even answering anything and-!

...Why was she getting so worked up about this, anyway? She'd seen plenty of jerks in school. And in there were still some in college, too. So why was this guy getting under her skin?

At the mention of the juicebox though, she visibly bristled and threw one heeled foot out to hit his chair.

Then she turned to the bartender, sitting down on the stool and looking as mature as she could manage-which still wasn't helping. ]

Give me-give me something uh...

[ What was that drink Lilie used to threaten putting into her orange juice? It was v... v-something... Oh! Her eyes brightened in recognition. ]

Vodka!

[[Oh. This was too rich. He didn't even try to hide the smirk on his lips anymore. The kick to his stool didn't do much, and there she was, asking for something that hard.

Looking over his shoulder, he directed his smirk toward the scowling drunk. Then, he nodded to the bartender.]]

...Get her a vodka then. On me.

[[This would probably make the night worth it. And it wasn't as if she would be in too much trouble. Fakir wasn't like those perverted assholes that drugged a girl's drink. He'd be sure she safely got a taxi home at the end of the night.

But he wouldn't give up the chance to give her the hangover from hell after being so irritating. A lot of people annoyed him, but never quite so much as this weird girl. And she asked for it herself.

The bartender's eyebrows shot up, but he obeyed, quickly bringing their drinks.]]

[ The redhead turned to scowl at him.

Just what was he smirking about? She could handle a little alcohol just fine!

...Not that she'd ever tried, but it couldn't be that hard. And she didn't have a car of her own to drive, anyway. So there would be no problem with getting a bit tipsy.

Tapping the counter with her fingernails, she called out at the bartender as she pulled the small white purse off of her shoulder. ]

I can-I can pay for it _myself_.

[ After shooting the nameless man beside her a nasty look, she dug into the contents of her bag, extracting her wallet. But as she opened it to pull a few bills out, her hand slipped and the change compartment snapped open, spilling a small flood of coins all over the counter and the floor.

Her face rapidly colored in humiliation as she bent down to rapidly start picking up fallen the change, hiding her red face from view as much as possible.

Why did these things have to keep happening to her! She'd been embarrassed enough as it is! And now klutzing out on top of everything else... ]

[[The bartender's eyebrows shot up once more at the display of coins scattering over the counter and floor, several people stopping to stare.

Including a few males that had taken an interest in her backside as she bent over.

Fakir didn't know what to think. Again, the damn alcohol must've been affecting the way his mind usually worked. Part of him was incredibly amused by her clumsiness - in a strange way, it was almost kittenish in nature. He also felt irritated that she was so stubborn, or perhaps intrigued by her attitude. Someone like Fakir, who usually could get people to do whatever he wanted with a simple glare, rarely encountered such spunk.

Just as he was about to smirk at her expense, he caught sight of the males staring at the bent-over redhead, and instantly stood from his stool. Without thinking - that was the alcohol talking, he swore - he yanked her upward and toward him until he blocked the view of the perveted gazes.

She really was an moron, wasn't she? So pitiful, he couldn't help but feel a bit protective. Anyone could take advantage of her idiocy.

He all but shoved her back down safely into the stool and bent over himself to gather her coins, sending another cold scowl to the disappointed men.]]

Just drink your damn vodka. And, Max, it's on me.

[[His tone left no room for argument, and the bartender nodded, quickly leaving that area before the poor girl broke something.]]

[ It almost happened too quickly to register - despite the fact that the young woman's mind was still plenty clear and without the influence of any alcohol to muddle it. But she had felt herself press up against something warm for a brief moment, and then found herself harshly pushed back down into her abandoned stool.

Ahiru blinked as she glanced down and watched him gather her remaining change, her mind still trying to make sense of what had just happened. ]

But you-wait-what just-I said I can pay for it! I'm not broke or something! And you-you can't just grab and shove people around!

[ Her cheeks had regained a pink hue again, puffing out with annoyance and confusion. This guy was weird. So weird. First he plays a prank on her, then he ignores her, then he tries to tell her what to do, and picks up her money and forces her back into the chair, and keeps trying to pay for her drink when she _said_ she'd handle it...

She didn't even know his name or anything!

Sulking, Ahiru crossed her arms and glanced over her shoulder, wondering how many people had laughed at her when she made a mess of her coins all over the place.

And naturally, she was completely oblivious to any of the improper staring and the unintentional view she had given in the first place. ]

[[With a growl and a handful of coins, he plopped down into his stool once more, dropping the coins right in front of her and downed his shot with a wince.

Was she honestly this moronic? He didn't think it was possible. She couldn't go on just not noticing the obvious attention people were giving her!]]

Look to your left at the group of "gentlemen" looking this way. Do you think that bending over in their direction was a smart idea? Could you really be THAT stupid?

[ Ahiru blinked owlishly at him briefly before she obediently turned her gaze to the left.

There was a small group of men there and they were occasionally glancing in her general direction. But... were they really...?

A blush of pure mortification lit up her cheeks. She didn't think the dress was that short. But it might of ridden up a little when she bent down to pick her money up and... _oh god_.

Biting her lip, Ahiru pulled the hem of the dress down, as if that would make it stretch and cover more skin. She never even really considered that anyone would look at her like that - she wasn't anything to look at in the first place.

But this place was filled with a lot of people drinking, from the looks of it... that one blond guy had smelled absolutely horrid. ]

I knew I shouldn't have worn this. I bet Lilie picked it out on _purpose_.

[ Either oblivious or uncaring of the fact that she'd been mumbling out loud, the redhead frowned, reaching for the drink the bartender had put down and taking a small sip.

Her nose scrunched up a little as the liquid settled. It tasted kind of... funny. And burned her throat a little. But it wasn't _bad_. Just... different. ]

[[His irritation dimmed just a tad. It seemed her idiocy was truly genuine. And seeing her so embarrassed had him feeling a bit sympathetic. Damn the alcohol. Damn it to the fiery depths of hell.

Fakir's rather hazy eyes turned toward the empty shotglass. Maybe he'd wait a few more minutes before getting another.

Hearing her words, he sent a side-glance over to her and watched her closely as she took that first sip of the vodka. It didn't seem as if she was used to it. Just perfect. He sighed and examined the empty shotglass with vague alcohol-driven interest.]]

So you aren't here alone, then. Where's your friend?

[[Kind of irresponsible to leave such an innocent friend alone in a nightclub. He was this close to hunting this Lilie person down to lecture her.

Maybe he was a bit irrational in being so protective of this random redhead. Once more, he blamed it on the shots.]]

[ Feeling braver after a quick second sip, Ahiru took a longer swig to follow it, letting herself become accustomed to the strange tingling warmth of the unfamiliar drink.

She glanced at the stranger beside her again, and then let her eyes trail out over the dance floor. ]

...Two of them. And I don't know. As soon as we got here, they went off into the crowd and I haven't seen them since. Calling out in here doesn't really do anything.

[ She turned to stare back down at her glass of vodka, a small frown pulling down on the corners of her mouth. ]

'M starting to think they _planned_ this. They like playing tricks on me.

[ Ahiru had never been known for keeping a tight lip, by any means. But her mouth was certainly starting to feel a lot looser than even she was used to. Why was she blurting all of this out to the sour looking guy she was reluctantly sitting with?

Sighing, she reached out for the glass and brought it to her lips again, taking another generous sip. Strangely, the more she drank of the alcohol, the better it felt. And it had settled to an almost comfortable warmth in the pit of her stomach.

Maybe it didn't really matter if her friends ditched her. ]

[[Her, too, huh? He also had two friends swimming in that sweaty, crowded, suffocating sea. It was almost disgusting how some of those couples moved and Fakir had no desire to see Mytho and Rue in that position at all. He was perfectly content to sitting at the bar, talking to...

He blinked. And then gestured for another shot.

After the refill had been given, Fakir sat in thought for a moment. Liked playing tricks on her? She seemed the type to be easily put in those positions, so it didn't surprise him in the least. And he was torn between being amused and being concerned once more. Strange how this night made him feel so conflicted about some things, particularly about this strange girl whose name he wasn't even aware of.]]

Hn. Maybe you should stop letting them.

[[He had to admit that he sort of liked that attitude she had. Did she show the same attitude to her friends? Did her blue eyes gleam with an inner light or did her cheeks flush in irritation in the strangest, most appealing way...?

...He downed his shot once more.]]

[ She clutched the glass rather tightly between her hands, feeling her cheeks flush once again. ]

I don't-I don't _let_ them. They're just... persuasive.

[ But she didn't want to say she was gullible. Even if it was the truth.

She'd been wary of going to a nightclub from the start, but they'd insisted that it would be so much fun. And that there would be dancing and music... like going to a more grown-up version of high school dances and proms. They'd insisted it would be a good experience for her-and for her adulthood.

And they hadn't really been _lying_. There was music. And people were dancing. And it looked like lots of them were having fun out there, regardless of whether that fun was a bit risque or not.

Her eyes slid out to view the lively floor of dancers again.

She didn't feel any more like a woman for being here. If anything, she felt really out of place and like she was too young to be here-even if she technically wasn't. She didn't fit right in the short and shoulder-baring dress without a bigger bust or an hourglass shape. And other young women were slinking up against their partners or strangers, flirting in the oddest-was that woman playing with the front of that man's belt strap?

Ahiru hastily looked away and downed even more of her drink. If this is what it took to be more of a woman, she was going to fail it worse than she did with her last Calculus exam. ]

...Don't let them do anything you don't want to do.

[[Fakir had no idea why he even cared. When his mind was so clouded and he felt a bit warmer than what was considered usual, it was hard to make sense of anything. Especially with the music ringing in his ears and the dimness of the overall club.

Following her gaze, he grimaced, glancing away from the couple grinding against one another in the middle of the dance floor.]]

Why are you looking out there?

[ Ahiru shook her head, taking a rather unlady-like gulp of her drink. ]

...Just wondering why everyone else seems to be having so much fun doing things like that. I don't really... get the appeal.

[ Not that she could say she'd ever tried it. Or wanted to. Just the thought of doing that, even with a guy she vaguely knew from a class or something, was enough to make her stomach turn.

Sighing, the redhead leaned back-

And nearly tumbled off the stool when she abruptly remembered that she wasn't sitting in a normal chair. Fumbling to grasp the edge of the counter, she managed to save her balance-at least partway. But the bottom of her blue dress had ridden up again in the process when her legs had spread out.

Flushing to the roots of her hair, she fixed her outfit with haste, setting back on the stool properly and fighting the urge to bury her burning face in her hands.

That was now two clumsy fumbles and counting. This was going to be a long night. ]

Hey, slow down with that drink.

[[With a sigh, he quirked an eyebrow. He supposed he could understand where she was coming from in regards to the dance. Why would anyone want to degrade themselves by...

He almost moved forward to catch her in case she fell, but it seemed as if she found her balance. But not before he caught sight of the smooth thigh beneath her dress as she fumbled to fix the fabric back into place.

Her skin looked so soft, and despite how skinny she was, she certainly did have enough curves to satisfy his sudden craving to trace her hips and waist with his fingertips...

Holy hell.

A sudden rush of blood ran through his face and he whipped around to stare down at the wood of the bar. He was turning out to be no better than those guys that stared at her a mere few minutes ago. And in a matter of seconds, he COULD see the appeal of dancing like that on the dance floor.

What the hell was wrong with him? He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, not meeting her gaze. Suddenly feeling distinctly uncomfortable, he chanced a small glance back toward the dancing couples. Damn it all, why did he have to drink?

...He was going straight to hell for this.]]

Have you...tried it before?

[ Ahiru placed the glass back down on the counter, having missed his reaction completely amidst her own struggle to hide her embarrassment, and raised an eyebrow in his direction once she felt she had enough of her composure back. ]

Tried...?

[ She followed his gaze back out to the rowdy crowd and intimate dancing out on the floor and felt another dose of heat rise to her cheeks.

The two her eyes had first landed on didn't even look to be _dancing_ anymore. They were just kind of... rubbing all over each other. She swallowed and whipped her head back around to face the bar again, running a fingernail alongside her half-empty glass of vodka. ]

...No. ...Why? Have you?

[ The redhead chanced another look in the dark-haired man's direction as she raised her glass to her lips. His hair looked kind of messy now. Was it like that before? She almost wanted to reach out and push away that one lock hanging stubbornly right in the middle his face.

Wait. What? She blinked in puzzlement. Where had that come from?

Frowning, she took another long swig of her drink, as if that would chase any similar thoughts away. ]

[[Shifting in his stool, he absently picked up the shotglass and simply fiddled with it in his hands, trying to seem nonchalant.

Inside, he was, in reality, going insane.]]

...I haven't.

[[And he never wanted to. Until tonight. Until consuming the alcohol. Until encountering this stranger that seemed to affect him in ways he couldn't even imagine. That was normal. That wasn't sensible. That wasn't even possible. Fakir was a very rational person, and there was no rationality in any of this.

It HAD to have been the alcohol. What else could possibly be the source otherwise? Definitely not the girl sitting beside him, right? It had nothing to do with her striking red hair or the freckles sprinkling almost sweetly across her nose or the pure innocence and youth glowing in her eyes or...

Damn him. Damn him. DAMN him.

And despite every rational part of him screaming for him to just ignore that insane half of his drunken senses, he couldn't bring himself to ignore the girl who stood out from them all.]]

...Maybe that's why we don't see the appeal.

[ Her finger abruptly paused where she'd started running it up over the shape of the glass again. And she turned wide, but almost curious blue eyes to the mysterious man seated beside her. ]

You think so...?

[ She hadn't considered that at all, as she'd had trouble even imagining herself attempting something like that. Not that she'd never danced with anyone before, because she had. But...

That had been a disaster. She'd stepped on his feet numerous times, crashed them into another dancing couple, and ended the night with getting her heel caught on her dress and ripping a tear right down the side. She'd become the laughing stock of her senior prom. And they had _pictures_.

She grimaced at the mere thought. ]

...I'm a terrible dancer, anyway.

[ Feeling a little heat rise to her face for some unknown reason, she quickly downed the last of her drink.

And she was strangely disappointed that the glass was now empty. ]

...Terrible, hm? Can't say that doesn't surprise me.

[[That was to be expected. With her blunder with the coins earlier, and being so awkward while walking in those shoes.

Fakir desperately tried not to see it as more opportunities to press her closer to him.

He eyed both of their empty glasses with a sigh, gesturing to the bartender for refills. Might as well get her another drink, too. He'd ask for her address, and the sooner she knocked herself out with alcohol, the sooner he could put her in a cab and forget about all these strange sensations that came with encountering her.]]

[ Ahiru scowled at his comment, but this time didn't protest the free drink. She was feeling slightly more... easy-going, for some reason.

Leaning a bent arm forward on the counter to prop up her head, she studied the strange man with interest.

Why did she suddenly want to know more about him? ]

So why're you here? Since you're not out there dancing or anything.

[ She gestured lazily toward the area of couples and groups again, without breaking her gaze from the young man sitting next to her.

...If nothing else, this guy wasn't hard to look at. His features were kind of stern and he seemed to hold a sour expression a lot of the time, but he had a very defined angular shape to his face and the most piercing green eyes she'd ever seen. The way his dark hair fell over his face was rather attractive, too.

Ahiru went a little rigid at that thought. Checking guys out? She was getting as bad as Pique! ]

...Got dragged into it. Blackmail. This wasn't by choice.

[[He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he also leaned an elbow on the counter. This was all Mytho and Rue's fault. He could've been at home, doing what he was supposed to do...

If only they hadn't threatened to reveal him as Lohengrin. His penname. There was a god-damn REASON he used a penname. He didn't want others to know that he wrote novels with epic adventures and fairytales and heroes. And with the success of his books, people would HOUND him if they found out who he was.

So, he found himself here. Drinking. And inadvertently speaking with a rather attractive young woman who seemed younger than her actual age. And wanting to dance inappropriately with her.]]

Mytho and his girlfriend are out there. Somewhere. I'm not going to bother looking for them.

[[He glared down at the amber liquid in his shot glass. Damn alcohol making him talkative...]]

_Blackmail_?

[ She wasn't sure what it was, exactly, but something inside of her suddenly made that seem awfully humorous - even though blackmail was usually anything but.

Maybe because... hadn't he been telling her not to do what her friends told her to? The irony really was too much.

And she couldn't hold the sudden mirth in. The redhead instantly burst into a fit of giggles, the laughter shaking her lithe form enough to put her off-balance again. But she did nothing to correct it this time - heck, she hadn't really even noticed. ]

I can't-believe-Hahahahaha! And you were calling _me_ helpless? Sounds like you're in the same boat!

[[She was... Was she laughing at him?

His face heated even further, eyes narrowing and eyebrow twitching. Fakir didn't even hesitate to reach out and grab her shoulder, both to keep her from falling over and to give her a little shake for her apparent amusement.

He wasn't there for her god-damn entertainment!]]

You don't know a damn thing, so you can just...shut up!

[[Stupid alcohol. Stupid girl. Stupid musical, sweet laughter that actually sounded rather pleasant to his ears...

Why was her smile so mesmerizing, damn it?]]

[ Her laughter soon subsided to a few chuckles as she righted herself. But despite his obvious lack of amusement, she couldn't keep the grin off of her face.

And she didn't think she'd associate a word like 'cute' with him, giving that grumpy exterior of his, but when he was blushing like that... the word seemed to fit, even if he managed to look angry at the same time.

On a childish urge, she stuck her tongue out at him. ]

Not knowing anything sure didn't stop _you_.

[ And with that retort, her hands found the glass refilled with vodka, eagerly bringing the drink to her lips.

It really did taste better and better with every swig... ]

[[And she just stuck her tongue out at him. That hadn't happened since the fifth grade. She really was like a child, wasn't she? And he tried to convince himdelf that it WASN'T endearing in the least.

Scowling and still trying to fight down the blush, he reached out to snag the glass from her fingers. That was enough alcohol for her. Especially when she was getting this annoying and adorable and...]]

You're drinking too much and you're not even used to it. Stop.

[[...And then he took a swig from her glass. Tasted better than his own, really.]]

_Hey_!

[ She puffed her cheeks out indignantly when he grabbed her glass away. And drank from it.

Well that was just rude! He bought her a drink so he could _steal_ it?

Throwing him a look of challenge, she reached out and took his shot glass without a second thought, downing the contents before he could stop her.

...And promptly having a coughing fit as she put the little glass back down on the counter, trying to catch her breath. She glowered at the innocent empty glass as though it had done something deeply offensive to her. ]

GUH! Ugh! How can you drink that stuff!

[[And with that, Fakir snorted, releasing an amused chuckle and smirking at her expense. Served her right for attempting something that she wasn't used to.]]

Easily. What. Can't handle it?

[[He sipped at her drink once more and gestured to the bartender with that same smirk on his lips. Max actually had to double take - when had Fakir ever really smiled like that? Even while drunk?

As soon as the drinks were refilled, he sipped at Ahiru's vodka once more, as if daring her to take another shot.

And he kind of wanted to see her cheeks puff out again. What other kinds of reactions could he bring out?]]

[ For a moment, she was oddly taken aback by his change in demeanor. She'd seen him smirk a little bit earlier, but... it wasn't the same as that little laugh he'd released just now.

She kind of... liked the sound of it. And he looked better with a hint of a smile than he did with the scowl.

However, that surprised expression fell from her features the moment he opened his mouth. He thought she couldn't handle it? Hmph! Just because it didn't taste as good as the other stuff didn't mean she couldn't drink it.

Wrinkling her nose and holding her head up haughtily, she reached for the newly refilled shot glass with the amber liquid and took a small preparatory breath before she downed that one, too. It definitely burned a little more than the vodka, but she could handle it!

She slammed the little empty container back down on the surface, crossing her arms under her chest and glaring back at him. ]

Can _so_.

[[That smirk remained on his face as he watched her chug the shot down in an instant. That hangover would just drive her into absolute misery in the morning. Nevermind that he would probably suffer the same fate. He only had to regret that he wouldn't be able to see her groaning in pain and downing strong black coffee in the morning.

Maybe still in bed, too. Wrapped in sheets...

Finishing off the rest of her vodka, he placed the glass down to the surface of the counter, and gestured once more to the bartender.]]

...Two shots. Leave the bottle.

[[Turning back to Ahiru, his eyes glinted mischievously, taking the other shot glass in his hand.]]

I doubt that, kid.

[ Ahiru bristled, the part of her hair that stuck out like a curved double-tail in the back flaring out, almost reminiscent of an angry cat. ]

I'm not a kid!

[ He couldn't have been _that_ much older than her, could he? And she hated it when people called her a kid or a child. Even by accident.

There was even a woman she and her friends had seen on the way here who'd stopped her in her tracks before heading to the nightclub just because she thought she was in _middle school_! It was humiliating! She didn't like being short and underdeveloped. Why'd people always have to rub it in?

Her lip curled up in something almost like a sneer as she took hold of the other shot glass.

She was an of-age, adult woman! And she'd prove it! ...Somehow. ]

Hn.

[[He casually lifted the shot glass toward her, as if holding it out for a toast.]]

Then what do I call you?

[[Never in his right mind would he ever engage in a conversation like this, let alone imply an alcoholic challenge to a female quite like this one. But he was drunk out of his mind, and he was also incredibly and insanely attracted to her.

Simple, innocent, so full of life. Everything about her stood out from everyone else he'd ever come across. How could his attention not be caught?]]

[ She blinked in mild surprise at the gesture, losing her edge of anger and resentment almost as soon as it had washed over her.

He was... sort of indirectly asking for her name, wasn't he?

Tilting her head to the side, she brought the other shot glass up to lightly chink against his own. ]

...Ahiru.

[ And to replace the momentarily-dumbfounded expression, a small smile swiftly curved onto her lips. ]

What about you?

[ She'd meant to ask that earlier, come to think of it. But she'd gotten so caught up in bantering and drinking with him that it'd slipped her mind completely.

It was odd. Really odd. Usually she got uptight and nervous whenever she was dealing with strangers. But ever since this guy had come out of nowhere and declared she was late... it was like some kind of fire lit and just kept burning. She'd chased him all the way over here and now they were taking shots of some amber-colored alcohol that she didn't even know the name of.

Even now, no sense of unease was settled inside of her at all. She felt... content. And strangely... excited? ]

[[Ahiru? Not a name he'd ever heard before in his life. It was strange and a bit on the weird side, but maybe that was appropriate somehow. A girl stumbled into his life in one of the places he disliked with a passion, and the one night he did attend, there she was.

It would be sensible to just say he had to leave and take a taxi home - he was through waiting for Mytho and Rue - and make sure she had a way to get back to her place safely and never think on this night again. He was treading on dangerous terrain right now. Fakir didn't like feeling vulnerable, but with every smile the girl threw at him, he felt more and more defenseless.

Especially with the god-damn alcohol. Why was he stupid enough to drink on this night of all nights? His judgement was incredibly impaired, and thus, he refused to try to end this night.

This girl's presence was too...warm. So to say. And he felt more drawn to her as the moments passed.

Fakir stubbornly shoved those thoughts away with another shot. He didn't like these doubts. His hazy mind and his instincts forced him to simply enjoy the moment with this girl. This "Ahiru."

...He'd...like to see her again, too.]]

...Fakir.

[ She downed the other shot after him, rolling the small glass between her hands as she looked at him thoughtfully.

Her cheeks retained almost a constant color to them, now. But she didn't really notice. She felt... good. ]

Fakir...

[ Her own voice repeated the given name, testing it on her tongue. It certainly wasn't a name she had ever heard before. It must have been really uncommon. And that seemed... suitable for him. "Fakir" was kind of exotic with an air of mystery. And she liked the way it sounded.

She smiled her approval, placing the empty glass back down on the bar counter. ]

It's different, but... I like it.

[ Why she wanted to tell him that, she didn't know. It just leaked out on its own and she wasn't bothered by the ease of her words slipping out in the slightest. Talking with him was enjoyable. And she felt happy now that she was learning more about him.

It made the night a little more real to her. She'd almost been afraid that if Lilie and Pique showed up now and tried to drag her around, she'd look back later and the dark-haired man sitting at the far end of the bar would be gone.

But now, at least, she had his name. ]

[[Fakir quickly grabbed the bottle and refilled their empty glasses. Apparently she turned red when she was drunk. That was fine. He had to admit that it just made her look all the more appealing.

Almost as appealing as the sound of his name on her lips. She had a sweet, childlike voice, that almost sounded like a small quacking sound a duckling would make. Why he felt a small bit of pride swell up inside of him when she said she liked his name he didn't know.

And the attraction he had to her and the alcohol continued to drive him to speak.]]

...I suppose "Ahiru" isn't terrible, either.

[[He examined the amber liquid with a rather thoughtful expression. Before he could speak up again, his eyebrow twitched when a well-manicured hand slid across his shoulder and into the seat on his other side.

For god's sake, why couldn't this blonde woman leave him alone?]]

_"Had a couple drinks, sweetie?"_

[[His eyebrow twitched and he didn't even spare the woman a glance, brushing off her hand.]]

[ Ahiru's eyebrows raised in surprise at the third party. Or more specifically, the name that the unknown woman called Fakir by.

She felt a strange, unpleasant tug somewhere in her gut. That was a pretty familiar way to refer to someone. But then again, he didn't really look pleased with the woman's arrival.

...The tall, beautiful woman. With blond curls and red lips and the kind of womanly figure to properly suit the shape of her outfit that Ahiru knew she would never have.

The redhead shifted on her stool, suddenly feeling woefully inadequate. And oddly, a little irritated. Why'd this woman have to show up _now_? She was really just starting to enjoy herself - and her company.

And his relationship with the woman draping herself over him wasn't her business, anyway. Really, it wasn't. ...But she was feeling compelled to ask.

Her eyes trained back on Fakir, one brow raising just the tiniest bit. ]

Someone you know?

[[He ground his teeth. The last thing he wanted for Ahiru to think he could be even remotely involved with this random woman who obviously lacked any self-respect at all.

To think, he was actually starting to relax a bit more. He was usually so uncomfortable in situations like these. Perhaps it was the alcohol. Perhaps it was just Ahiru.]]

Not a chance in hell.

[[The woman, however, raised an eyebrow in Ahiru's direction and looked the young girl up and down.]]

_"I'd LIKE to get to know him, though. Who're you? His kid sister or something?"_

[[At that, Fakir slammed his shot glass onto the counter. He'd had enough of this.

Standing up from the stool, he stood up and turned toward Ahiru, shrugging off the other woman's hand once more.]]

Let's dance.

[[The opportunity to get away from the blonde and to get closer to Ahiru was something he couldn't pass up no matter how much the rational part of him pleaded with him to just get up and walk away from BOTH women.]]

[ Ahiru felt herself flush at the 'kid sister' comment, another wave of annoyance racking through her system. She had the crazy, inexplicable urge to get up and yell at the unknown blonde woman.

But that urge was quickly quelled at Fakir's following words. And her mouth dropped open in surprise. ]

D-Dance? But I told you that I-

[ She glanced at the woman in the black dress again and swallowed.

Maybe it didn't matter if she couldn't dance well. She didn't want to hang around the lady in the tight black dress anymore - and it didn't look like he did wished to, either.

And besides... the idea of dancing with Fakir actually sent a pleasant little chill down her spine. She wasn't sure why, especially since the thought of dancing like _that_ had made her rather uncomfortable earlier, but now it didn't sound so bad.

Turning back to Fakir, she nodded with a small grin. ]

I mean...sure.

[[As soon as he received his answer, he snatched her hand in his and pulled her toward the crowded dancefloor. Fakir didn't even bother to look over his shoulder at the now-seething blonde woman.

He was too distracted by the strange warmth that a simple clutch of Ahiru's hand brought him. Anticipation filled him as the music blared louder the closer they came to the dance floor. He could care less if Ahiru couldn't dance very well. As long as her presence was near him, he felt that it'd be worth every annoying stumble she made.

Maybe he was going insane for actually wanting this in the first place. But perhaps just a dance would get him to sober up a bit more and let his usual rationality take back control. Right?

Keeping a firm grip on Ahiru's smaller hand, he weaved in and out of the crowd, eyes scanning the area for a good place.

He couldn't believe he was actually going to do this...]]

[ Ahiru didn't miss the other woman's venomous look. And it made her feel a strange sense of... giddiness. Before she could stop herself, she flashed a bright smile back at the blonde before disappearing into the crowd of dancing people with her dark-haired companion.

The redhead thought she should have felt a hundred times more nervous than she actually did. Usually, being stuck amidst so many strangers who were dancing in very risque and inappropriate ways would have made her _incredibly anxious_. But the grip of Fakir's hand seemed to ease all of her worries away and give her a lingering feeling of security.

Which really didn't make a lick of sense. She'd only met him tonight! They were still practically strangers! But despite how crazy and nonsensical the feeling was, it was definitely there. What was the point in questioning it?

She gripped his hand back as he meandered them through the swaying and rubbing couples, far more all right with this change of events than she thought she should be.

...Even if she already felt sorry for the hell his feet were likely going to go through. ]

[[Fakir came to a halt somewhere in the center of the dance floor where it wasn't quite as congested with people. Satisfied with the openness of the area, he quickly pulled her closer to him, placing the hand he held around his neck, reaching out to place one hand on her waist.

It wasn't as if he couldn't dance. Far from it. He was actually quite good at it when he was forced into it, and he had taken a few classes for the sake of college credits. The inappropriate movements of the couples around him weren't unfamiliar, no matter how much it disgusted him.

But in this case, he was far more than willing to adapt to the situation, so long as it was Ahiru who was his partner.

Getting so close to a girl he had just met was probably an extremely bad idea, but with every moment he spent with her, the less he wanted to ever leave her presence. It was madness, and he wanted to slam his head against the nearest wall for being so rash tonight.

...After dancing with her, of course. Better him as her partner than those other vulture-like stalkers roaming about the club.

His grip around her waist tightened at the thought, sending a glare over her shoulder at one man who chose to eye the hem of her dress. Fakir had never danced with anyone quite as small as she was - he was almost a full foot taller - but at least it made him feel more capable of protecting her in some way. It didn't make sense, but...]]

It's not hard, idiot. You don't need to be especially talented for this, so relax.

[ She threw him a pout. ]

Hey, 'm not an idiot. Jerk.

[ The redhead adjusted into the stance awkwardly and with unsure limbs, but she was nonetheless determined to give this 'style' of dancing her best shot.

Relax. Right. She took a few steadying breaths.

...It was surprisingly easy to do so. That sense of safety she had felt from holding his hand alone has blossomed and spread out, engulfing her with a satisfying warmth. And the firm hold upon her waist was making the skin underneath of her dress tingle pleasantly.

So far, this didn't seem too weird.

And being close to him felt far better than she really wanted to admit. ]

Yes, you are.

[[He stared at her for a bit longer, studying her response to the new position. So far, she didn't seem too uncomfortable - well, maybe with the dancing itself, but surprisingly, not uncomfortable with HIM. With a deep breath, he pulled her in until she even closer to him, hands lowering from her waist to her hips.

Fakir fell into the beat with ease, maneuvering her hips to gently sway with the music. It had a strong tempo, but was hopefully slow enough for her to get used to the movements.

His eyes never left her face, always watching for any sort of hesitation on her part.

Fighting the urge to draw her even closer, he kept her at least a couple inches away until she grew accustomed to this. She was a moron, and naive as hell, but there was no way he'd take advantage of that. He rarely came across anyone with that kind of innocence anymore.

And he wanted to protect it. Protect HER.]]

[ This definitely wasn't the type of dance that Ahiru was accustomed to. There were really no solid steps to follow or '1 2 3's' and positions to keep track of in her mind.

...But that's what made it easier. She wasn't trying to count numbers in her head and clumsily meander her feet in time with her partner's. This was simply feeling the music and moving accordingly with the beat it set.

So she rocked her hips slowly back and forth between his grip, trying to fit with the timing of the heavy beat pounding loudly into her ears. It was actually kind of catchy, now that she let herself actually listen to it and immerse in it.

Relaxing into the simple movement, she similarly kept her eyes locked with his, the hint of a smile curling onto her lips.

It was funny how she couldn't imagine doing this before. But now what she just couldn't imagine was doing it with anyone else. His touch was strangely addictive. And she felt captivated by his green eyes. ]

[[Well. She seemed to be adapting to this well enough. When that smile appeared, he returned it with a slight smirk.

He instantly, brought her closer until she was pressed right up against him. Letting her control her own movements now, Fakir joined her, falling into the tempo and loosening his grip on her hips to give her freedom. One hand moved from her hip to rest on her lower back, his other hand releasing her completely to swing back and forth by his side in a relaxed movement with the beat.

So far, so good. If she wanted to pull away from him, he'd certainly allow her to. But if she didn't protest to any of this, far be it for him to complain.]]

...You're not terrible at this.

[[His smirk widened.]]

...Could be better, though.

[ Ahiru's smile widened just a bit, a playful gleam in her blue eyes. ]

Oh, and I suppose you think you're the 'lord of the dance' or something, huh?

[ She didn't protest the change in positions in the slightest, allowing her body to take the new freedom to accentuate her movements a little more and let the music carry her, indirectly rubbing against him now that the space between them had disappeared.

In any other circumstance, she'd have been sputtering and embarrassed beyond all reason by this point. However, she felt calm and loose, with a small knot of something like anticipation clinging under the surface.

Now, maybe, she could sort of see - or rather, _feel_ - the appeal of dancing this way. There was nothing rigid about this style at all and her mind was blissfully at ease. And the contours of her figure, although they weren't nearly as curvy as most women, fit strangely well against his body.

Despite something in the back of her mind repeatedly pointing out that she'd balked at the thought of doing something like this before... she kind of liked it. ]

[[His eyebrow arched but his smirk never faltered. It even might've quirked up a bit more. It was hard to tell for anyone.

Fakir wasn't about to show her exactly what her enthusiastic movements against him were doing to him. He felt oddly warmer and mixed with the consumption of a vast amount of alcohol, he was driven to push her even closer to him.]]

...I might. Do you?

[[As if to influence her answer, his light swaying grew a bit more exaggerated, fitting right into the beat with ease. With a growing aggressiveness, he ended up rubbing right against her in retaliation for her sudden comfort in the situation, hips moving side to side as his hand wandered up and down over her back.

It was shameful, but he had to admit that the feel of her curves were far more incredible than he had first imagined when her dress had ridden up due to her lack of balance. And she was absolutely WILLING to be this close to him.

...Was it her naivete working against her in this case? Was she completely unaware of his attraction to her?

If that was the truth, then he really should've pulled away, damn it! He didn't want to be like those other men. He wasn't like that.

However, his impaired judgment didn't allow him to release her.]]

[ She lightly giggled, passing him a look as if to say 'you wish'. And there was a tiny note of something like a challenge in the luster of her blue eyes. ]

You're as new to this as I am. And I'd say we're doing about the same. Wouldn't you?

[ Well, that wasn't exactly the truth. He was hitting the beats with movements that were much stronger and more confident than hers.

And perhaps a part of her was a little wary of him picking up on just how much she was enjoying this. He was good-looking, his touch emanated heat through her body, and every rock together with the flow of the music left her shamelessly anticipating the next.

But she didn't want to come off like that blond woman did. Even if she didn't feel embarrassed or nervous at the moment, she knew that would definitely change if she did something wrong or something he didn't like. Somehow... as pleasing as this was to her, she wanted it to be the same for him.

Indirectly arching into the smoothing of his hand up and down her back, her eyelashes fluttered slightly as she put a deeper sweeping motion into her movement against him. That felt...

It was difficult to keep doubting, for some reason. If he was uncomfortable or wanted to stop, he'd have done so by now, wouldn't he? Encouraged by that thought, she pulled her other hand up to lay on his chest, her fingers smoothing in a caress over the front of his shirt. ]

[[Fakir was never, ever one to back down from a challenge. One of his worst faults, really. He could never bring himself to refuse. And when confronted with a situation like this - a girl he was severely attracted to smiling at him, challenging him with her eyes and literally rubbing up against him without hesitation - he knew he'd never be able to walk away from this.

One evening with Ahiru, and already he found himself wondering if she'd give him her number.

Fakir NEVER asked for numbers. He never wanted to, never needed to. Women offered them to him unconditionally, and he always refused. But for Ahiru, he was willing to make an exception. That, and being drunk obviously gave him a world's more amount of confidence.

...But dancing would come first. He wasn't about to ruin this moment just for the sake of asking for seven digits. Especially when her touch to his chest made him feel even hotter, her fingertips burning through the cloth of his shirt and onto the heated skin beneath. And the arch of her movements against him didn't help matters any.

She didn't have to know that, however. And some part of him was rather thrilled that she seemed to enjoy herself as much as he did.]]

...Hn. I think we both could do better.

[[His free hand rose up to cup the back of her neck, fingers tangling into her red strands as his other hand pushed her flushly against him. He rocked against her body, keeping her firmly pressed right up to him the entire time.

As if responding to the growing anticipation within him, the rhythm of the music picked up.]]

[ Ahiru felt heat flock to her cheeks, neck, and steadily spread from wherever his form was pressed into and against her own.

Something had slipped out of her mouth. Not a word, exactly - but a sound like a hum, vibrating in her throat.

She thought this to be an 'inappropriate' method of moving against another person before, but all that was going through her mind at the moment was how she never wanted it to stop. It felt too good. And his warmth was more than addicting.

Having melted into his actions like butter on a frying pan, she had almost forgot she'd issued him a wordless challenge. And almost instantly, she increased the pace of her movements against him to match, her significantly smaller body rolling up into his in a semi-circular pattern. And she even felt compelled to rub one of her thighs along the inside of his, strangely enjoying the prickling of friction between her skin and his pants.

The hand splayed on his chest stroked with more fervor to fit the quickening rhythm, widening its path to trail down over the muscles she could feel underneath the fabric of the shirt covering his abdomen.

How could this feel so _good_? She didn't understand - but then again, maybe she didn't need to. These other couples scattered about didn't care if anyone else was looking down on them or their actions. They were far to engrossed in the partner and the feel of them to spare anything else a thought.

And being with Fakir like this... she definitely felt the full allure of this style of dancing. ]

[[Damn it. She was winning. And she probably wasn't even aware of it.

The moment the soft, miniscule sound of her voice echoed into his ears, even piercing through the intensity of the music around them, he stiffened, swallowing as a rush of heat and intrigue collided with him on all sides.

Not only was she enjoying this, but she was enjoying this with him.

And he had no idea why she claimed to not be able to dance well. Not that this was a particularly difficult dance, as most of it was simply falling into the step of the music. But with the way her small body moved, rocking in perfect tandem with his own, soft curves swishing about in the colorful, flashing lights, it took everything he had to maintain focus on the challenge set between them.

The rest of the dancers had simply reverted into blurs of color, and she was the only one who existed.

Simple, striking, idiotic, naive, attractive, childlike, awkward, clumsy, and just all-around adorable in every single way. And there was a life in her eyes - a youth and innocence and almost hopeful gaze that seemed to lift his usually pessimistic spirit with a simple look.

...And she was openly rubbing her thigh against his, her hand on his chest inciting his breaths to grow shallower.

Focus, Fakir. Focus. If he was about to give in to her and lose this challenge, he wasn't going down alone. He'd most definitely take her down with him.

With a low grunt - perhaps it was a growl - his own leg pushed itself between both of hers as he picked up the pace of their dance, the hand at the back of her neck tightening its grip on her hair and the hand at her hip lowering down to her thigh and the hem of her dress.

Maybe that was going too far. But she was asking for it, whether she knew that or not.]]

[ Ahiru felt a chill race down the full length of her spine when his actions became more intense, his leg pressing up against and between hers.

She felt so immersed in the music - so immersed in _him_, that it was increasingly difficult to even remember where she was anymore. The myriad of lights, the alcohol, the torturous pleasure of his figure moving almost aggressively against hers, and the alien sensations penetrating to her very core...

It was intoxicating beyond anything she'd ever imagined.

How was he managing to incite all of these brand new things to life within her? It was insane. But if this was what insanity felt like... she was more than willing to go even crazier.

And she almost thought something in her would swell and burst apart or when his hot fingertips met the skin just at the bottom of her dress. There was a such a difference in the feel of his skin against her skin as opposed to his fingertips pressing into the cloth of her dress.

Another unbidden noise slipped out of her throat then - sounding suspiciously like a moan - as she rocked her leg invitingly into that touch.

The fingers running along his shirt curved inward, her nails raking into the cloth before smoothing out again. And she let the music continue to guide her movement, every stroke of her hips falling in with that quick beat and grinding against the firm, warm angles of his lower body.

And still, she felt no shame or embarrassment. In fact, she wanted to feel more. Was it wrong to want that? What did wrong even _mean_ anymore?

Everything felt so _right_. ]

[[He was losing it. He was losing control of this challenge, of this dance, of himself...

And the more she touched him, the more she danced so flushly into him... He had to actively stop himself from just grabbing her and dragging her to the nearest bathroom stall and...

Pausing when his hand slid across the skin of her thigh, the other hand cupping the back of her neck cradled her closer, trying to force her eyes to look into his.]]

...Ahiru.

[[Through the alcohol-induced haze, he had to admit that their movements were definitely on-par with the others in the room - perhaps even surpassing them by now. And with every burning touch and motion she made, the more he needed to know that he would see her again after this night.

...Not that he wanted the night to end at all. Hell, if he had the choice, he'd wake up beside her in the morning.]]

[ The redhead dimly heard her name through the resounding boom of the music and leaned back a little as he adjusted his hold on her, turning her half-lidded blue gaze upward to meet his.

For a moment, she thought another of those noises was going to climb out of her throat and fall from her lips when she opened them, but she managed to shape it in a way that showed she was listening. ]

Hmm?

[ Somehow, the thought that he might want to stop or slow down didn't even occur to her. Any lingering doubts had long since drained away.

So without an all out request or demand to cease, she kept freely moving up against him to keep that sinful friction going, her eyes imploring his as her fingers continued to dart up and down his shirt. ]

[[As soon as her eyes met his, he had forgotten what he was about to say. She didn't even stop moving, damn it! How the hell was he supposed to think straight when she was openly rocking against him like this? Even his pants were growing uncomfortably tight...

...Screw it all.

With another growl, Fakir shoved her against him tightly, hands constricting in their positions behind her neck and her thigh. He was far too gone by now, and she had a sweet scent all her own that he couldn't get enough of.

His head lowered, nose burying itself beside her ear, lips brushing against her jaw. Before he knew what he was doing, his hand curled around her thigh and tried to lift her leg up. Fingers sliding across her milky, smooth skin, he panted heavily and continued to move to the pulsing tempo of the music.

Ahiru had driven him completely and utterly insane, hadn't she?]]

[ Despite his rash and completely unexpected response, Ahiru felt an excited thrill more than she did any alarm.

Heat raced through her and coursed through to every vein as she swiftly accommodated herself to the new positioning, bending her raised leg to wrap around his corresponding one and inadvertently pressing her center area right into his in the process. Whatever that noise was that he made against the side of her face, it caused her to shudder against him, the hand up around his neck sliding eager fingers up to dig into his hair.

Ahiru didn't know if her enthusiasm was the alcohol's doing or not, but she couldn't bring herself to dwell on it. Being wrapped up in Fakir was introducing her to all kinds of new and amazing sensations and she only found herself craving more as the seconds passed.

Her actual rhythm with the music had fallen off-tempo, not that she really noticed. She was far too caught up in his touch and in touching him to mind.

A whimper crawled out from her lips as she pressed her meager bust up against his torso, her hand gliding a little further down to feel the muscle structure just above his stomach again.

She wanted something. She wasn't sure just what it was, but with every motion and ministration he performed, she only desired more. ]

Ahhh...Ahiru...

[[The mere fact that she seemed to be welcoming the actions he made when he fully expected her to pull away and slap him right across the face destroyed any semblance of hesitation left within him. He wanted her. He wanted her badly, in ways he never experienced in his life. How it got to this point he didn't know. But when she openly reciprocated like this, how could he possibly pull back any longer?

Their dancing had long-since turned into something completely different. His movements were no longer side to side - now, he simply ground his middle area into hers, a deep groan rumbling from his throat and against the skin of her jawline.

A public dancefloor wasn't the place for this, however. Fakir miraculously had enough sense to remember that. Pulling back to look at her with smoldering, heated, desperate green eyes, he dropped her leg but kept her pressed fully against him and tried to maneuver her toward the restrooms.]]

I want you...

[[This had to have been wrong. He met her that night. And already he wanted to... But he'd never...!

Not to mention that the both of them obviously had a lot of alcohol that night. Would this be taking advantage of her? That was the last thing he wanted - somehow, he genuinely cared about her, even if she was almost a complete stranger to him...]]

But...you...

[ It was a good thing that Fakir had some inkling of sense left in him, as Ahiru had practically forgotten that they weren't alone - and were in fact on full display in a nightclub. When he dropped her leg, she even almost openly protested the loss of his hold. And it took a few moment before she was able to stop her body from continuing to move against his.

She stumbled after his guidance, the room still such a blur to her that she wasn't even sure where they were headed. But she trusted him - that much was undeniable even beneath the crushing suppression of the heat and the lowered inhibitions from the alcohol.

And the redhead felt herself shiver lightly at his words. _That_ was it - that thing she wanted but couldn't name. That steadily increasing ache inside of her was begging for _him_.

With that revelation, she openly whined against him, shamelessly clinging to his body and pressing a flushed cheek against his chest as she followed his lead clumsily. ]

Fakiiiir... _please_...

[ Ahiru never thought she could feel this way. She'd never really even kissed a man before, besides maybe on the cheek once or twice. But she needed him in ways she couldn't even explain.

And somehow, he wanted _her_, too. She didn't know why - she wasn't special or really attractive and she didn't even look that womanly or anything - but her self-consciousness was being almost completely snuffed out.

That look in his eyes alone spoke volumes to her. ]

[[With her encouragement, he picked up the pace, unable to ignore the sweetness of her voice as she whined his name with desire, practically begging for him. He could care less how he must've looked, stumbling with a clingy girl in his arms toward the bathroom and looking quite frantic and desperate.

But, damn it all, did wanting her this badly after a single night make him as bad as those other men who stared at her backside earlier? He refused to be like that! His desire for her, while most certainly not innocent any longer thanks to their actions on the dancefloor and the alcohol consumption, was strong, it wasn't simply lust alone that drove him.

It was the need to be closer to this wonderful young woman who crashed into his life and suddenly turned his world upside-down in a matter of minutes. He wanted to be with her, and protect her, and make her feel so god-damn special.

If anything, he'd make sure that if he was to be with her tonight, it would NOT be the last time. Fakir was determined to make her part of his life.

He yanked open the door to the nearest bathroom - he had no idea if it was the men's or the women's, but it was empty and it was clean, and that was good enough for him, damn it. Fumbling for the nearest stall, he pushed open the door, turned to lock it, kicked the toilet seat lid closed, and all but shoved her down onto the closed toilet. He gripped her shoulders, staring down at her with desire, but with a focused, serious depth in his eyes.]]

...You need to tell me now if you don't want this. I won't be able to stop myself later on...

[ Ahiru didn't fight him in the slightest the whole way and even as she found herself pushed down onto the cool seat, she could only look back up at him with eyes completely laced with heavy desire.

She squirmed, already missing the feeling of his body pressed against hers. But even though she wasn't accustomed to feelings like lust, there was definitely more than just that and the alcohol at work. She'd felt drawn to him ever since she met him. And she was sure that even if they were somehow pulled apart now, that she would never forget the intense, piercing green eyes that were staring straight at her.

Parting her lips to speak, she hoped he would be able to see the sincerity lurking in the depths of her eyes. ]

I...I... I want you. Fakir. Just you...

[ And that was the truth, which even the stirring of alcohol couldn't take away from her. She wanted to be with him. Desperately.

...But there was one thing nagging her, even through the hazed reaches of her mind that was clouded with lust and want. And if she wanted that answer, she had to get it now. Before her brain decided to shut down and give full way to the aching want and need running rampant through her system.

She reached up with one hand and ran her fingertips through his unruly bangs. ]

This... this won't be the last time I see you, will it?

[ If she never saw him again or even had _hope_ of seeing him again, then she knew deep down that she would come to regret this in the morning. She didn't want such a flimsy, one-night stand relationship, no matter how badly she wanted the man leaning down down over her. ]

[[With her confirmation, he was just about ready to lean down and claim her lips when her question reached his ears.

And the tiniest of smiles touched his lips. That was a pointless question to ask. He was already more than determined to make her a part of his life. She was special. She was a glowing light in his life, and for only knowing her in such a short time, the idea that he would be able to see her often gave him something to look forward to.

Fakir suddenly felt inspired to write. He had recently hit a severe writers' block a few weeks ago, and just then, his motivation sparked into life.

Had he just encountered his muse? He wouldn't be surprised if he did.

She was special in so many ways. Unique, different, and the fact that she wanted him as well... There was no way in heaven or hell he was letting this girl slip through his fingers. He needed her in his life.]]

Not if I can help it.

[[And with that declaration, he leaned down and closed the distance between them, pressing his lips firmly against hers and clutching her shoulders tightly, almost as if afraid she'd disappear.

It wouldn't surprise him if this was a dream after all. Did women as special as Ahiru truly exist?]]

[ Relief spread through her like a warm stream of water - and as quickly as it came, it gave way to a scorching fire that consumed her when his mouth met hers.

Ahiru's her eyes fluttered shut as she tilted her head and met his pressure head-on.

Pique was always chastising her about how first kisses just _had_ to be special and romantic or they were wasted. And with the tingling she now felt traveling to her very toes, Ahiru knew that this was the best first kiss she could possibly have hoped for - and she couldn't think of anyone she'd rather be sharing it with. His mouth was warm and the way his lips were molded to hers wasn't hesitant at all and definitely made her feel special.

And now knowing that she'd see him again, that he wasn't going to vanish like smoke when the morning came... she felt much more confident in her decision to be with him.

The redhead shifted and moved the hand from his hair to slide down and up over his shoulder, briefly tracing nonsensical patterns over his shoulder blade before settling her fingers into a niche under his clothed collarbone.

Already she was wondering what his skin and muscles and bone structure would feel like without the fabric to cover them... ]

[[As much as his body begged him to push on forward and hurry this up, Fakir stopped to revel in her for a moment, needing to prolong this for as long as possible.

He had shared kisses with other women in the past. Pointless and fleeting relationships had come and gone. Those women didn't matter to him in the long run. They weren't worth the time and effort, and he never had any desire to be with them in a sexual way. Maybe that was why they frequently left him. And he allowed them to. He was never one to pursue. Especially when it was a waste of his time.

So maybe without the effects of alcohol working in his system, he probably would've feared the effect Ahiru had on him. It was strange and unfamiliar, and he wasn't used to feeling so vulnerable, especially around a woman. Maybe he shouldn't be so surprised that she had him in the palm of her hand mere minutes after encountering her. He was drawn to her, and he wanted her, and the desire to see her smiling face every day of his life overwhelmed him in a strange flood of new emotions and sensations.

Part of him - the rational part - told him to refuse all of this. To deny it. But how could he when she was returning his kiss with enthusiasm? How could he not fully embrace the fires that licked at his usually frigid body and soul? She melted the cold barriers that he had carefully built around him in a single night, and he scrambled to loose himself in her warmth.

And from the way she acted earlier, and her innocence, he knew that it would be her first time as well as his, wouldn't it?

This was the public bathroom of a rather shady nightclub. Not as romantic as a first time should be, but the least he could do was make this night worth it for her. He needed her to see - to FEEL - just how much she meant to him.

Fakir wasn't going to rush this. Mytho and Rue could wait. Hell, he'd prefer it if they left without him. Maybe he'd be able to stay with Ahiru for the night.

Smirking against her lips and fully leaning into the touch of her fingertips beneath his collarbone, he tilted his head to deepen their connection, his hands on her shoulders slowly traveling down the length of the skin of her upper arms, drowning in the smoothness of her.]]

[ This was a lot different than how Ahiru would have expected her first intimate dealings with a man would be like. She had always held idealistic and overly romantic notions - tentative presses of lips under the moonlight, hands entwined and soft blushes dusting cheeks with innocence...

And maybe that was due to how many fantasy and fairytale-types things that she read. _Everything_ seemed magical in stories like that and it was bound to put silly, unreachable expectations in the mind of a young girl. Or in her case, a young woman.

But this, despite being almost nothing like those overly-sweet notions of romance, truly had a magic of its own. There was nothing fleeting or nervous about the touches they were administering upon one another, but there was a passion in it that couldn't be denied. And Ahiru found that she really liked the thrill and excitement that was coupled with such entanglement. Was it the alcohol? She wasn't sure. After all, she hadn't ever been drunk before this evening.

Even so, she was absolutely certain that no matter how inebriated she happened to be, she wouldn't be accepting of this at all if it hadn't been the man she was locking lips with at this very moment. It wasn't just her body that ached for Fakir (though, oh god, did it _ever_) - but there was a definite desire to be close to him and learn more about him that had been ever-present since the moment she laid eyes on him. Getting drunk and dancing inappropriately had only come hand-in-hand after that.

And although Ahiru certainly wasn't used to such intense attentions upon herself from a man or from _anyone_, for that matter, knowing that he had interest in her this way didn't make her want to pull down her dress self-consciously and bite her lip. Perhaps the alcohol might have been helping more than a little in that department, but she could definitely tell - even feel - that Fakir was different and his intentions didn't involve using her.

Was it foolish to trust someone who was almost a complete stranger, so _strongly_? More than likely. But that feeling of safety and security still never left her.

And as she pressed her other hand back into the creases of his shirt, she knew that she would not come to regret this. If anything, she felt like this night was going to be a very important turning point for her. And that caused her to smile back into his lips, inexperienced mouth eagerly meeting his. ]

[[Feeling emboldened by her obvious reciprocation, he lowered down to his knees before her, never letting his lips disengage from hers. His hands curled around her torso beneath her arms to keep her small form molded completely against his own. Pulling her bottom lip between his teeth, he nibbled lightly, alternating between tiny nips and suckling motions. He'd make this last, but he wasn't about to hold back. For lighting up his life in ways he didn't think possible, she deserved his honesty and his determination to keep her happy and fulfilled.

Maybe, despite the romantic aspects of some of the stories he had written, he never really understood the true meaning of incredible and undeniable attraction until now. His fingers tingled with the urge to write. But that would come later. Her happiness and pleasure would come first. Always.

Fakir panted heavily through his nose, his hands kneading her flesh through the fabric of her dress. He was this close to simply rip the dress right from her warm, welcoming body, but he wouldn't allow himself to speed up that quickly. He needed to take his time, and give her every pleasure and sensation that she needed to reach that sacred peak he had only heard and read about.

Ahiru obviously placed her trust in him. And he wasn't about to squander it. Her trust was meant to be treasured and protected.

And in return, he trusted her to tell him if he was going too far. He didn't bother asking if what he was doing was all right with her. She'd speak up, and he would stop.

With a growl released into their heated kiss, one of his hands meandered from her back to rest right below the small mound of her left breast.]]

[ Ahiru didn't even try to quell the little mewling noise that filtered out from her lips as his teeth nipped lightly upon her full bottom lip.

She wasn't familiar with kissing and the finer points of intimate interactions and ministrations that could be shared between two people, but she was more than eager to experience and learn all that she could. Some semi-rational part of her brain was whispering of how her own inexperience was likely to be off-putting, but she stubbornly ignored it. Whether he was or wasn't familiar with these actions himself, it was impossible to doubt that he really did want her when his body and touch were speaking so clearly.

And if she wanted him, then it was best just to let things build and flow by instinct alone, if nothing else. The last thing she wanted to do was give him any unneeded worries about how she was handling this. If they stopped now, she knew that growing ache in her lower body would only become more unsatisfied and expand until it drowned her.

A slight gasp emerged from the reaches of her throat when she felt his fingers travel around her and to just underneath of her chest. A great deal of her lack of confidence in her body came from the diminutive size of her bust. She couldn't fill out dresses properly and without the normal amount of development in that area, her small figure wasn't fit for a young woman her age.

Despite that, she could feel the warmth and tenderness of his hand so close to that area, and she was surprised to discover that she almost desired for him to touch her there. ...But with the lack of what was there to touch in the first place, would he even want to?

The alcohol - or _something_, at least - didn't allow her to dwell on it. Her hands began to move with more haste over his chest and arms, mapping out the feel of him with the every brush and rake of her fingertips. And her mouth continued to move against the one attached to hers, lips parting slightly on a panting breath of growing need. ]

[[He was well-aware that she wasn't quite experienced with this. And it thrilled him. In some, odd way, the fact that he was first to feel her and kiss her and take her filled him with a surge of pride and possessiveness. He would be the one to lead her and teach her if she allowed him to.

The soft, sweet noises that she released in combination with her wandering, curious hands did nothing to discourage him, and he allowed himself to raise his hand and cup her modest chest. Taking a moment to squeeze the soft mound, he took full advantage of the opening she left in her lips. His tongue instantly wormed its way into her mouth, shivering at the warmth and wetness of her cavern.

As small as she was, his arousal only increased with the feel of her. She fit well in his hand. He didn't need it to be large or for a woman's body to be incredibly curvy. All that mattered was the softness of her body and that sweet glow and youth in her breathtaking blue eyes.

The hand at her back fumbled for the zipper of her dress as his eyes snapped open. The lust-clouded green orbs watched her closely even as his mouth continued to work over hers hungrily, tongue exploring her with enthusiasm and fervor. He squeezed her breast once more, allowing the mound to rest in his palm. His hips drew forward, trying to push between her legs as she remained seated on the toilet seat lid.

He wanted more. He wanted to hear more of her sweet sounds, taste more of her intoxicating flavor, touch more of her smooth skin, see more of her flushed cheeks and flesh, smell more of that fruity scent that only seemed to belong to her...

Fakir was drowning in her, swept away by powerful waves of her presence and warmth. His only wish was that he could bring that same amount of pleasure to her before the night was over.]]

[ Little did he know that already more than succeeding at wrapping her up with the brilliant and new sensations, to the point that her toes were curling in her high-heeled shoes.

The feel of his fingers upon her meager breast provoked her to arch into him, inadvertently forcing the small mound against his contracting fingers, each squeeze sending a small jolt through her form.

And the intrusion in her mouth, though it had taken her by mild surprise, was more than welcomed. She lifted her tongue to timidly meet with his own, experimentally sliding across the wet appendage and shuddering from the odd, but addictive feelings that lit to life in response. She'd never imagined that kissing could be so deep and intense. It excited her in a way that words couldn't possibly describe.

Not a single warning bell went off in her mind at all, not even as his fingers found the zipper along the back of her clothing. She wasn't afraid of being seen or touched by him. Even with what little she had to offer, he was more than accepting of everything, and it eased any straggling nerves that clung to her conscience.

Feeling rather abruptly bold, one of her hands slipped down the fabric of his shirt until she came to the opening at the hem. And with little hesitation, her fingers crawled up underneath of his shirt, laying into the hot skin that was now opened to her roaming touch.

The low moan that fell out of her mouth and into their heated connection that couldn't be suppressed. So many touches and amazing sensations at once... it was a wonder that she wasn't writhing uncontrollably by now. ]

[[It was if she was in tune with his desires. He wanted her to touch him and she did. He wanted her to moan and she did. This had to have been a dream. One that he wouldn't ever want to wake up from.

His tongue tangled with hers almost aggressively, battling for dominance within her slick mouth. Not that he really wanted her to bend to his will completely. His main motivation was to incite her to fight back with all she had. He wanted to ignite that spark of life within her, and give her that boost of confidence that she deserved.

His actions to her chest increased in fervor as his other hand slowly eased the zipped down her back, leaving the flesh open to his touch. Fingers fluttering on the smoothness of the skin over her spine, he stroked her back to his liking, calloused hands running over every inch of her that he could reach.

And with the sensation of her hand dipping under his shirt and over the skin of his chest, he groaned heavily into her mouth, a rumbling growl echoing from deep within his throat.

What was she doing to him? How was she able to turn him on so intensely with the simplest of caresses? It made him all the more desperate to take her right then and there.

As if to make his intentions clear, he ground his hips sharply into hers, harder than he had on the dance floor.]]

[ The jerk of his groin into hers sent a shock through her lower regions, simultaneously flooding heat to her face and down into her most sensitive area and pulling a tight gasp from her busy mouth.

Oh gosh, that felt... that felt _so_-!

Whimpering in need, she took his wordless challenge and lashed out with her tongue against his, uncaring of how little she knew about what she was doing. They had battled on the dance floor, and regardless of who might have come out victorious in that, she wasn't going to back down from what he was starting now. And that noise that erupted from him vibrated pleasantly into her open mouth, pulling another stifled moan from within her before she could prevent it.

Her hips rolled up into him slowly, but firmly, laced beneath with a heightening desperation to re-ignite the delicious friction from the movements on the dance floor prior. And his rough fingers exploring the soft skin inbetween the folds of her unzipped dress was an exhilarating feeling, the mere brush of their tips leaving ghostly trails that burned her flesh.

And that same sensation was running along with her own fingers along his bare skin as she traced his muscles and dipped into the groove of his navel, moving her fingers in an circular motion around it.

She never thought that bodies could be explore in such a manner, or that mere touches in the right places could threaten to cause you to explode from the inside out.

Ahiru wondered where those special points were on him. She wanted to find them and set them off... ]

[[Completely and utterly satisfied with her reactions, he smirked, continued the heated and intimate war in her mouth, his tongue swirling wildly and greedily against hers, needing to reach every corner of her precious cavern. And he'd be sure that he was the only one to ever explore her so deeply.

He wasted no time in continuing his movements against her center area, the hand stroking the open skin of her back sliding down to her rear to push her even further against his hips. The more he continued, the harder he was, and the anticipation of being inside of her was only quelled by the sheer determination to give her the night of her life before satisfying his own thirst for release. Rubbing his bulging erection against the inside of her thigh, he squeezed her breast and her backside simultaneously.

And with the way her fingers touched him so sensually, and her tongue's retaliation of his own, he felt a surge of warmth and heat fill him, knowing that she had the urge to fight back just as he wished.

God, he was so damn into her.

Ripping his mouth away from hers, he dipped down with a fierce snarl, snagging the strap of her dress that rested on her left shoulder between his teeth and pulled it down and over the side, exposing the skin of her collarbone to his hungry mouth.

Mumbling heated against her skin, he panted, teeth scraping over the base of her neck.]]

...Damn it, do you know what you're doing to me?

[ That sort of question usually would have stopped her in her tracks and had her spurting apology after apology in a rush of rambled words. Rarely did Ahiru get the context of most things - seeing almost everything for what it was at face value and accepting blame upon herself the moment it seemed like she had done something wrong.

But the alcohol's effect had flattened and smoothed out those lines a little, blurring them into each other. Guilt and hesitation didn't come to flood her and press their weight into her shoulders uncomfortably. On the contrary, she was more than aware that he was enjoying her inexperienced touch - which made her feel oddly accomplished.

As his teeth moved over the sensitive skin along the bottom of her neck, she shivered appreciatively, her fingers curling into the skin underneath his shirt. ]

No... but I... want to keep doing it...

[ The honesty almost burned her tongue. As much as she was receiving from him, she wanted to give just as much, even if she wasn't at all adept in these actions.

As it was, his ministrations were driving her _crazy_. With both plush mounds of her top and bottom being molded into his fingers at the same time as he ground into her front, she was overloaded to the point that she couldn't differentiate the collisions of surging heat coiling into every area. ]

Ah-ahhhhnnn!

[ When that very vocal cry of pleasure passed from her lips, she moved against him with abandon, the heat pooling in her middle making her feel like the bulge pressing into her there was setting her on fire. And those flames melted her - to the point that she could feel a definite wetness between her legs.

The hand still stroking above his shirt then left its perch, trailing down to follow the other underneath of his shirt. But instead of working against the front, her small fingers snaked around behind him, moving up the length of his back and pressing into the dip between his shoulder blades. ]

[[He hissed against her skin, hot breath fanning over her collarbone as he fought for composure. Fakir spoke with a husky undertone, voice raspy and strained.]]

...Then keep going.

[[Her cry of pleasure echoed into the bathroom, and he couldn't stop his own deep moan from escaping him right along with hers. Biting down onto her shoulder, his hands left their positions on her soft areas to quickly yank down the top half of her dress, leaving her bare to his sight and touch.]]

...Haaa...Ahiru...

[[Forcing himself to pull back with a soft kiss to the reddened area his nip had created on her flesh, he stared down at her torso with hungry, lust-driven eyes, beads of sweat forming on his brow. God he wanted her. He needed her.

Shuddering from the effects of her fingertips brushing against the skin of his front and back, he quickly brought his own hands down to pull his shirt over his head, leaving it to hang on the hook sticking out from the door behind him. There. They were now on even ground. And with that thought, he moved forward and captured a small, erect nipple between his lips.

She was beautiful. Not in a super model way, of course. But in a way that was so much more special. With glittering blue eyes and a bright lifeforce that lit up his spirit and a sweet, soft, welcoming body. One he wanted to embrace forever.]]

[ She yelped in surprise when his teeth dug into her flesh, her eyes snapping open. And the tug of her dress that quickly followed left her warm skin open and without cover, causing her to shudder from the lick of the cool air.

There was a fleeting urge to bashfully retract her arms and cross them over her front, but she mercilessly fought it down, determined not to lose her confidence at this stage. He wouldn't be staring like that if he didn't like what he saw, would he? And the way his eyes were grazing over the newly-revealed skin made her flesh almost feel reheated from his intense gaze alone.

And she watched with rapt interest as he proceeded to discard his own top layer, letting her eyes rove down over his inviting tan skin. Her appraisal was cut short, however, when he dove in to her exposed front, his mouth closing over the nub of the breast he had been earlier attending to with his hand.

She squealed aloud from the sensation, her hands darting over the skin of his chest and back and curling the nails to drag into his flesh.

And she moved her leg up into his groin to meet the hardness in his pants, reinstating the forgotten friction and riding her dress up to meet where the collapsed folds of the top had fallen to her hips. ]

Fakir... Fakiiiir...

[ She repeated his name like a plead, her eyes fluttering shut again. ]

[[He wasted no time in reveling in that friction she had started up again, openly rubbing his hips into her leg. His suckling motions of his lips and tongue over that small peak of her mound grew harsher as his desperation spiked upward with the touch of her fingertips on his chest.

Not ceasing his jerking movements against her, his hands snatched up her legs and quickly wrapped them around his waist.]]

H-Hold on...keep them there...

[[It was hard to maintain focus when his name on her lips resounded throughout the public restroom, but hell if he was going to let that stop him. The sound only seemed to egg him on, and he stood up from his crouch before her, his hands pushing up on her rear to keep her against him and lifting her up into the air.

The action only seemed to press her chest farther against his face, and his lips left her nipple, tongue dipping forward to lick the valley between her two modest breasts.

Maneuvering around to the side, he pressed her against the wall of the stall to keep them both upright, rubbing his stiffness into her inner thigh.]]

[ With her back now pressed solidly to the side of the bathroom stall, Ahiru struggled to keep her legs locked where he'd placed them, one of her heels slipping off of her foot and clanging down to the floor.

Her whimpers of his name morphed into moaning cries as his bulge slid enticingly against her leg, causing even more heat to flock and collect in her center and soaking her panties with moisture. And again she arched into the wet attentions of his lips, mouth, and tongue upon her chest area, barely suppressing a wild shiver that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

The hand still situated behind him swiftly crawled up the perspiration-dotted skin of his naked back, threading up into his dark locks and pulling them free from the bind of the band holding his hair in place. And her other set of busy fingers rolled down over his stomach, caressing the skin eagerly and flitting her fingertips along the waistband of his trousers.

Her lower regions continued to slide needily up against him with every motion, the electricity and warmth bundling together so tightly that she had to bite down on her lip to stop from crying out again.

This man, Fakir... he was really bringing her entire body to life in ways that seemed impossible.

And still, she found herself with an insatiable need for more. ]

[[His pants really were becoming a nuisance. This was further emphasized when she touched the waistband of his pants.

Damn it all, her touch set his skin on fire, and he pulled his lips away from her chest, dragging them up her neck and across her jawline with flourish, tongue darting out to leave a slick, wet trail behind, never once stopping his incessant jerks into her hips.

Rolling himself into her, his hands flexed on her rear, pushing her against him in time with his thrusts, the denim of his jeans sliding against the soft, thin material of her panties. He squeezed the soft cheeks, fingers tucking beneath her underwear to caress the smooth skin beneath.

But when he distinctly heard the door to the restroom open, he inhaled sharply, quickly mashing his lips against hers to silence her sweet cries, no matter how wonderful they sounded.

The footsteps passed right on by the stall they had claimed, and Fakir prayed that he himself could remain silent until the anonymous person left, keeping his lips fastened securely over Ahiru's. But never once did he relent the rhythm of his hips grinding into hers against the side of hte stall.

He had to admit though - this was the most exciting and thrilling moment of his life.

Doing a girl he had just met in a public bathroom of a nightclub with someone else in the vicinity... Damn. What a first time this would end up being.]]

[ His swallowing of her sensually-induced noises came as something of a surprise, the last of a throaty moan cutting off with the enveloping cover of his mouth.

Unlike Fakir, she wasn't even aware that they had company in the bathroom, too far engrossed in the endless sensations and burning of heat through her every pore to even pay heed to the door opening in the first place. But she didn't question it.

Instead, she took it like another challenge, and tilted her head in toward his, another tiny noise from her throat becoming lost in the connection. Feeling bold and beyond desperate with the way he was moving his coarse jeans almost aggressively against her thinly-clothed middle, she darted her tongue out to pass through his lips into his mouth, tasting and exploring everything she could reach inside the wet cavity.

The hand in his hair climbed further, curving in toward the back of one ear before lowering down to rub against the skin on the back of his neck. And the fingertips along the crest of his pants were still tentative, testing the warm skin just above the material.

It was all so insane and amazing and she could hardly contain herself - but she was forced into some form of silence by the insistence of his mouth. And that blockage of her air passage was just making the spirals of heat twist and thrash within her mercilessly as she struggled to keep herself from throwing her head back and screaming. ]

[[He bit back a low growl, eyebrow twitching and sharp eyes narrowing at the intrusion into his mouth. Damn it, she was making it increasingly difficult to keep quiet. Being caught now would force them to pull apart from one another, and he simply would not have it. Not when her hand was so enticingly close to his aching arousal, and her legs were clamped tightly around his waist, and her tongue was so bold and wonderful and...

As if to reprimand her, his lips closed around her tongue, suckling hungrily and aggressively on the muscle, his own tongue curling around and under the tip of hers. He shoved the burning tightness in his pants roughly against her, his hands growing harsher with its kneading on her rear.

They needed to keep quiet... Surely whoever was in here with them would leave soon!

Ironically, that was when he heard a small ringtone, and a male voice picking up his phone.]]

_"Rue? No, he's not in here..."_

[[...For Christ's sake... It was Mytho. As if to hoping that Ahiru would keep her voice down, he ground into her with increasing pressure as a warning, teeth scraping lightly over her tongue.]]

_"...Do you think he left without us? I feel awful that we dragged him out here now...He must've had a horrible time..."_

[[He almost snorted. Horrible time? But damn it, Mytho, why couldn't he just leave? He couldn't very well let himself go when his best friend was standing right outside the stall that he chose to do unspeakable acts with a girl he just met!]]

[ His harsh suckling of her tongue made the fingers along his neck constrict, her brows hitching together and the urge to release the shrill noise clotting up in her throat becoming almost unbearable.

And his hands were such a sinful pleasure as they pressed into her back end, pushing her almost excruciatingly tight against the hard bulge in his jeans that rammed her into her from the front, sandwiching her with the strong movements on both sides. Her ankles slipped over one another as she tried her best to keep a steady hold around him with her legs.

_Why_ was he refusing to free her mouth? She didn't-she couldn't... He had to understand how torturous it was! Was it deliberate? Was it-

But Ahiru couldn't ignore the ringing of the phone and unfamiliar voice that echoed in the small enclosure just a moment later. She stiffened, abruptly understanding just why Fakir was intent on keeping her quiet. There was no way she wanted some random stranger to see them! Or any interruption _at all_.

She whimpered into the connection of their mouths, unable and unwilling to stop moving against him completely, even as it was clear that they were no longer alone. ]

[[Well, at least she was quiet. Of all people, why the hell did it have to be Mytho?

Likewise incapable of ceasing his bucking motions against her, he retained a stronghold on her body and her mouth, refusing her any mercy. If he released her, ONE of them would surely make a sound, and Mytho would be able to pick up on Fakir's voice for certain.

And he had no desire to explain a thing right now. All he wanted to do was screw the girl in his arms senselessly. Was that really too much to ask?]]

_"...You're right. Maybe he took a taxi home. I'll call him in the morning."_

[[And right as Fakir thought they were home free, Mytho, being the hopeless moron that he was, dropped his keys right in front of the stall. As the golden-eyed young man bent over to retrieve them, he caught sight of Fakir's shoes.]]

_"...Fakir? Is that you in there?"_

[ Ahiru wriggled in his grip, almost fit to burst at the seams with no given room for an outlet _anywhere_. The ache was almost painful with its crushing heat and intensity.

Why couldn't the guy just gooooooo?

However, she stilled again when she heard Fakir's name spoken from the male voice, her blue eyes flying open and widening in surprise. Whoever it was... knew Fakir? And knew that he was in here?

Uh-oh. What if they had to stop and he had to leave? ..._Could_ she stop?

Her center seemed to pulse in rebuke of that thought and she attempted to force down another whining whimper from escaping into the firm hold of his mouth. Blue eyes implored him silently, desperation shining from their very depths.

Ahiru hoped he had a solution, because she certainly didn't. ]

[[Damn it all, her incessant movements weren't helping the situation at all! He couldn't even bring himself to stop thrusting right against her, and the only thing keeping her from banging loudly into the wall behind her were his hands pushing up against her rear.

And apparently, his damn SHOES made him recognizable. His SHOES. Eyebrow twitching and catching the obvious desperation in Ahiru's blue orbs - well, there went the plan to make this a special night for her - he ripped his mouth away from hers, adjusting his hold on her before clamping a hand over her mouth to keep her silent.

His voice was strained and incredibly pained. With the incredible movements of Ahiru's hips against his, it was hard to think straight and seem calm at all.]]

...What do you want.

[[And apparently, Mytho picked up on the obvious discomfort.]]

_"...Are you all right? Do you need help in there..."_

NO! ...No, just...Just take Rue home. I'll take a cab. Go.

_"But...!"_

GO, DAMN IT!

[[And as soon as Fakir's voice boomed throughout the bathroom, Mytho dashed outside, leaving the two blessedly alone. And the dark-haired man growled, releasing his hand from Ahiru's mouth and, due to the immense pressure and tension that had formed with Mytho's presence, viciously lowered that hand to the moistness between her legs, pushing the damp fabric out of the way and shoving two fingers right into her center.]]

[ Nothing could have possibly prepared her for _that_.

With no lips or hand covering her mouth any longer, she screamed just as the door closed to mark the intruding man's exit and his fingers simultaneously pushed into her slick heat. Her shrill voice reverberated off the walls off the bathroom as she nearly thrashed against him, closing her thighs inward as far as she could when her legs were still clasped around behind his back.

As the screech finally subsided, she panted incessantly, the incredible amount of heat rushing her blood everywhere and causing her cheeks to flush bright red, sweat breaking out over her brow.

She'd certainly never, ever been touched there before, much less had fingers inside of her. But oh god did it feel amazing and hot and good and-!

Ahiru was growing steadily more impatient, especially now that even more new feelings and sensations were racking through her body. One pair of her fingers tugged where they were still lodged in his dark hair, and the others searched out the clasp of his jeans and fiddled with it, trying to undo it with her shaking fingertips.

She never needed... never _wanted_ something so badly in her whole life. ]

[[Her scream sent incredible waves of heat and absolute need shooting up and down through his spine and gathering at the front of his jeans right where her hand clumsily fumbled with the button. And her entrance was so wet and ready and practically begging for him to take her right then and there. With loud, throaty pants of exertion, he breathed heavily, green eyes boring down at her as he pumped his fingers in and out of her mercilessly, keeping a stronghold under her. In order to keep the both of them upright, he pressed her farther against the side of the stall, effectively trapping her where she was, no matter how much she thrashed against him.

It was obvious that she wanted him. And his resolve to make this last as long as possible had crumbled the moment Mytho stepped into the bathroom and left him with a building tension that would only be released when the both of them reached that peak of pleasure.

He hoped that she'd be able to take care of his pants herself - at the moment, he had to focus on keeping her up in the air and working at her soaking wet entrance, fingers brushing tentatively against a small nub he'd found.

His eyes never left her face, and he dipped down to run his tongue along her bottom lip.]]

[ Even with no room _to_ move, she still tried, incessantly. Quickly realizing that there was no space to meet his thrusting fingers by going forward, she rocked side to side, whining openly and heaving her chest against his own with her erratic, staccato breaths.

And another squeal pealed out from her lips when he found something inside of her-something that made her shudder violently when his fingers slid up against it.

How was he so _easily_ sending her right off the deep end?

Her lip trembled slightly when his tongue flick out and glided over it, causing her to inhale sharply on a gasping noise.

She couldn't take this, she couldn't handle this-! She needed to even things again, she needed to find something that would throw him off-balance too-!

With that determination to drive her, she finally managed to pop the button of his jeans open, and immediately dug in for the zipper, yanking it - and his pants - down recklessly. She could feel the stiffness meeting her fingertips through the considerably looser material of his boxers and slid her hand over it experimentally. She had never touched anyone else there before, either, but when he was so ruthlessly pistoning his fingers in and out of her...

Then it had to be all right to touch there, didn't it?

Whether it was or wasn't, the alcohol left her no room for doubt. So she applied more pressure to his front, smoothing her hand over his restrained length and starting to cascade up and down over its entirety. ]

[[His lip quirked into a smirk - it seemed as if that tiny nub he'd found was a bit sensitive. Feeling smug and desperately needed to hear that sweet sound of her scream again, he run the tip of his finger against it once more, just barely brushing over it with the barest of touches.

And he really thought he had her in the palm of his hand. He really did. Until she finally sent his pants downward, the denim gathering haphazardly at his feet.

Before he knew it, his length felt far more free, and a sweet touch sliding over his hidden arousal.]]

Nnngaah...!

[[He suddenly felt absolutely crushed with the weight of the heat and desire shooting through every nerve of his body, warmth spreading through him like a wildfire and consuming his every thought and feeling. With every stroke on his length, a shock of electricity paralyzed him with incredible ecstasy.

He couldn't even BEGIN to describe it. It was just... God-damn, the need to just shove his length into her was unbearable... He wanted to pound into her until she was certain to never question his need and his craving for her and only her and...!

Growling almost ferociously down at her, he ground his teeth.]]

...You're...impossible.

[[And he resumed his attentions to her slick entrance, finger rubbing aggressively over that tiny nub inside of her, and the barred erection rubbing right against her thigh and her hand, pushing her farther against the side of the stall.

If it felt this good just to be touched by her... What would it be like to have her inner walls squeezing around him in the most incredible way...?]]

[ Ahiru felt a thrill course through her at his reaction to the touch over his lightly-clothed length, instinctively knowing that she'd hit the jackpot.

But his swift and striking retaliation left her utterly breathless, and crying his name loudly in scorching need as she near convulsed against him in rapture, her thighs constricting around him as tightly as possible. The burning, the heat, the raw electric feelings, and still that persistent ache that didn't subside even when his fingers were tucked inside of her most intimate area...

And it seemed they had both found something to drive the other crazy with need, and now it was just a question of who would fall victim to it first.

Though Ahiru suddenly realized that the playing field wasn't level just yet. He'd already pushed past her undergarments, whereas she was teasing him from above the fabric of his boxers. Eager to rectify that, she slid her hand up and found the stretchy band of his underwear, pushing her fingers beneath it and crawling down to clasp her fingers around his thickness.

He felt good in her hand, and just gripping him there somehow added to the warmth and wetness already collected at her core. Slowly, she started to glide her hand back and forth. ]

Mmmnnn... Fakir...

[[...That wasn't very fair at all.

He suddenly stiffened, jerking a bit in surprise when her hand suddenly found the sensitive arousal beneath the light cloth of his boxers. He completely froze, paralyzed from the insane amounts of blood rushing to his face and shaft. His manhood tensing and throbbing in her grip, he growled out her name into the air, unable to keep himself from making a sound.

Damn her. Damn her for ensnaring him in every single way. Damn her for making his body react in ways it never had in his life. Damn her for her sweetness and innocence and smiles and beautiful eyes and youth and hope and damn her for making him need her more than air itself.

And damn himself, too. For embracing it and reveling in it and needing to be inside of her right. This. Second.

But he held back. He couldn't give in to this. Being around Ahiru, he had learned, was a constant challenge. One that he knew he'd never be able to back out of. He stared down at her with a smoldering gaze and moved forward to devour her lips with his, hungrily and selfishly shoving his tongue into her mouth and sweeping through her sweet cavern, his fingers never relenting in her wet core. He growled heavily against her mouth, pushing his hips forward and sliding his shaft through her hold.]]

[ She almost, _almost_ faltered when he stilled, wondering if she'd maybe gone a little too far or done something she shouldn't have.

But the texture of hot skin and veins beneath her fingertips seemed to sort of pulse into her hand, as though the action wasn't unwelcome at all. And once again, the doubt and hesitations didn't linger for more than a scarce moment.

However, before she could start pumping her curled fingers over his erection, he suddenly reacted - all but cramming his mouth against hers and intruding into her mouth with a lashing tongue. And with his fingers once again plunging endlessly into her hot center, she released a muffled scream into his mouth, her own tongue lolling wildly about his without direction or care.

The force of his returned efforts was starting to crumble her resolve, pleading words almost begging to be set free from her throat. But she stubbornly refused to let them. She wasn't going to lose just because he managed to catch her off-guard. ...And did amazing things to the inside of her core. And had incredible eyes and a touch and voice that made her want to melt. And set her off-balance and to a level of pleasure she'd never experienced even a fraction of before. And brought out the fighting and stubborn sides of her that she hadn't shown or exercised openly for a long time. And made her want to know and learn so much more about him even when she was completely smashed. And made her feel like she was accepted as both herself _and_ a woman.

Okay, so there were a lot of good reasons. But she still wasn't going to give in!

As he started to move in the clutch of her hand, she matched the pace and started to increase it, gliding over his firmness with determination as her mouth mashed back against his. ]

[[His pumping fingers did not relent as he breathed heavily through his nose, mouth working desperately with hers as his eyes bore into her blue orbs, heated and clouded and so needy that he thought he was going to go insane with want. And his hips continued to thrust into her grip, drowning within the heated touch of her fingers.

Would he ever want someone as much as he wanted her? He very much doubted it. After tonight, it was unlikely he could possibly find any other woman attractive. Not when someone so unique and different and wonderful had clumsily tumbled into his life on the one night he thought would be the most miserable night of them all. She just...instilled so many contradictions and chaos into his world. He wanted to protect her and challenge her at the same time. He wanted to tease her, but would never stand anyone else criticizing any part of her.

And he wanted to be inside of her, penetrate her, take her and keep her and push her over the sinful crest of pleasure, while protecting her sacred innocence at the same time. Was that even possible? Maybe it was. Just for this girl. No one else.

Fakir found himself this close to giving in to her. But if she wasn't going to give up, then neither was he. And he promised earlier that he would take her down right along with him.

With a slight smirk into her lips, he swiftly pulled his fingers away from her heat, his digits slick with her sweet juices, to rest his palm beside her head against the wall of their chosen stall. He likewise pulled his lips away, staring down at her with a mischievous, daring gaze, trying to mask the desperation in his eyes from her motions to his throbbing manhood.

He'd make her beg for him. No matter how painful it was for him to sustain this torture.]]

[ Ahiru thought she might have exploded at any given moment when he just kept going.

That is, until he abruptly pulled away from both of her openings, retracting his fingers and his mouth at the same time.

Her eyes wrenched open as her mouth fell open on a struggled string of pants, the ache in her now gaping like a pulsing wound without his touch.

What was he doing? _What was he doing?_

Why did he stop? Whydidhestooooooop!

And he was _smirking_ at her! Smirking! She was torn between the urge to shout at him and the one to cling to him helplessly and beg him to fill the emptiness he left behind. This definitely wasn't fair! No way and no how!

She bit down on her lip to stop the stream of words that wanted to spill out, rocking her hips back and forth against his grip on her bottom and the now-warm barrier of the stall. As if in some feeble form of punishment, she squeezed him tightly in her hand, a small whimper escaping from the corner of her mouth.

Why'd he have to be so infuriating? And so attractive and so mean and so wonderful and so good at dancing and so arrogant and handsome and so... so... ]

D-Don't...!

[ She managed to shut her mouth again before the '-stop" could follow up, letting him wonder what she had intended to say. 'Cause she wasn't going to. He wasn't getting it out of her yet.

But _god_, it was so hard to take this. Why did he look so amused while she felt like something was clawing inside of her and ruthlessly tearing through her body with an unstoppable need and desire! ]

You...!

[[He winced when her grip on his thickness tightened, but he would NOT let that stop him from putting her through this. And he could tell that she wanted him. He could hear the desperation in her voice. A desperation for him alone. And to feel her moving against his hold like this...to see her yearning for something that she wouldn't admit to...

He couldn't wait to satisfy her every desire. But certainly not before she asked for it.

Composing himself, he leaned forward, mouth a mere inch away from hers, panting against her skin and letting his hot breath fan over her lips.]]

...Finish your sentences.

[[Though, despite how much he enjoyed seeing her like this and waiting for her to give in, he couldn't help but hold even more respect and admiration for the battle she was fighting. So many woman would willingly throw themselves at him without question.

But Ahiru. Ahiru had self-respect. Enough for her to feel uncomfortable in a short dress, and to be sure that this night wouldn't be the last she saw of him, and to hold her own in a sexual battle against him.

As childlike as she was, she was far more ladylike and decent than so many others in that very nightclub.

Fakir pressed a tiny kiss to the corner of her mouth.]]

Tell me.

[ She whimpered again, still wriggling against the stall as his lips brushed hers briefly.

Whyyyy was he persisting in teasing her this way? He had to be able to tell how badly she wanted him - and to _be_ with him. And it was like torture when her body yearned so much for the touch he'd pulled away!

He was obviously trying to coax her into vocalizing how much she wanted it. And for some reason, the fact that he clearly desired that confirmation from her made her all the more reluctant to give it to him. That would mean he won, wouldn't it? Even if he was using such a low-down, dirty tactic against her...

Ahiru shuddered as her core gave another throb, her lips parting another short series of panting breaths. She couldn't keep this up, no matter how stubbornly she wanted to refuse to answer. He was equally as stubborn, after all, and he'd probably continue to hold her just like that, without touching, until she finally cracked.

Relenting in her plight to resist, she allowed her eyes to meet his gaze, need and lust and desire swirling in the darkened blue depths. And her bottom lip trembled as she took a steadying, preparatory breath. ]

I need... _please_...! Don'tstop. I need you, Fakir...

[ She felt her cheeks flush as the honest admissions poured out, her hand shakily moving over his erection.

That had to be enough, right? If she had to wait any longer, she thought she might sob with the sheer amount of aching need. ]

[[That was what he'd been waiting for. That simple, wonderful confirmation that she wanted him to fill her to the brim and take her until she couldn't breathe. He positioned himself above her entrance and...

...Stopped.

...How could he be so stupid?

Stumbling backward and dropping her legs, his back slamming into the opposite side of the stall due to the gathered jeans at his feet, he quickly kicked out of them, scrambled with his wallet in his pants pocket, unlocked the stall door, and quickly padded out into the open air of the restroom in nothing but his boxers. He prayed to god that no one would walk in while he skidded to a halt in front of the condom dispenser.

Fakir wasn't stupid and drunk and aroused enough to put her in such a position if he released inside of her. He cared about her too damn much!]]

Damn it all...!

[[He cursed aloud, shoving coins into the dispenser and slamming his hand over the button. Multiple times. And when those multiple times didn't work, he literally stepped back and kicked rather comically at the machine.

And that was when at least a dozen condoms poured right out of the dispenser. But Fakir didn't care. He just wanted to be inside her already! He snatched a handful from the floor and quickly scrambled back into the stall and locked it once more.

So close to making a huge-ass gigantic mistake...]]

[ Given the manner in which he all but dropped her, backed away from her, and hurried out of the stall, Ahiru felt a sinking, terrible feeling flood her with apprehension amidst the burning desire and need.

She couldn't see what he was doing, given that the door had rebounded and shut most of the way again, and she had been about to ask what was wrong when she heard his outburst. The redhead blinked. What in the world drove him away from her so quickly? And why-

But that thought was cut off as he came stumbling back into the bathroom stall again, his hand fisted over a bunch of wrapped... ]

OH!

[ Abruptly noticing from the shrill echo that she'd exclaimed that aloud, the redhead slapped a hand over her mouth in embarrassment.

But she hadn't even thought of-she really was far more fortunate to be with Fakir than she realized. How many guys, especially drunk and aroused, would stop to think about something like that? It amazed her. And she felt such a surge of respect and adoration for him at that moment that she almost just wanted to wrap her arms around him and hug him.

She hadn't even thought of the dangers. Not for a second. Even though she'd been through sex-ed and everything way back in middle school and again in high school, she'd never even touched a condom before. There was no need to, after all. She didn't really and honestly think a time like this would come, at least not for a long, long time, that she would even need to consider something like that.

And somehow, Fakir had thought of her. And of her safety. She was right to put her trust in him. There weren't a whole lot of young men in the world who held onto morals like that anymore. Girls and young women got 'accidentally' knocked up a lot.

She was unbelievably glad that he would be her first. And... more than likely, her last. Ahiru didn't think she could possibly consider doing anything like this again with another man. ]

[[He flinched visibly at her outburst.]]

I...I forgot and...damn it, stupid thing, OPEN!

[[He ripped the wrapper on one of the condoms, dropping the half dozen others that he picked up on the way and quickly lowered his boxers to set his burning, throbbing length bob out freely, slowly and carefully rolling the condom over his shaft properly.

It was almost embarrassing. There he was, fumbling to secure himself just moments after putting her through danger. Not that releasing into her was dangerous, but pregnancy wasn't something he would let her go through before she was ready and...argh, he couldn't even think straight anymore.

When the condom was finally situated properly, he quickly made his way back to her side, showering her face with kisses as an apology for dropping her earlier - he must've scared her with how frantic he was - and lifting her legs back into their prior position around his waist. Panting against her lips, his eyes bore into hers.]]

You...Are you ready...?

[ Despite the gaping hole of ache that pulsed endlessly in her center, she felt the strangest urge to laugh at his frustrations. It was... so oddly and inexplicably endearing. One minute he was absolutely sure of himself and carrying that haughty smirk, and the next he was struggling with a little wrapped precaution tool in his fumbling fingers.

But the need for him was much stronger than that little inkling to chuckle at his demise. She moaned low as he pulled her back into their previous set-up, her calves slipping over each other as she tried to secure them around his middle once again.

Her other shoe finally slipped off through the rapid adjustments and joined the other on the floor with a dulled thunk, having landed on top of his dropped jeans.

And now that he was so blessedly close again, Ahiru couldn't help but arch into him, leaning forward just far enough to brush his lips with her own and breath hotly against his mouth. ]

Yes... _Yes_. So ready...

[ She wriggled against him to confirm it, pressing her naked breasts to his chest as she reached one hand out to curl against his chest and slide up his shoulder, gripping him with imploring and impatient fingers.

So close and so warm and he was finally going to fill that horrible emptiness in her that just pleaded for him... ]

[[Pushing his hands against her rear for support once more, he panted heavily, swallowing and reveling in her words for a moment. She was ready and willing to accept him, and there was no way he'd refuse her now. Pressing his lips fully against hers, he prepared himself, positioning his tip at her waiting, dripping entrance.

His chest heaved against her breasts, and in one swift movement, he pushed against her backside and bucked his hips forward simultaneously, burying himself deep within her.

And Fakir's mouth fell open as he couldn't stop the deep grunt from tumbling from his lips. God, she was...

It was unbelievable. She was...so tight. And her inner walls clung around him, squeezing his shaft in every direction, sending waves of pleasure colliding into his body from all around. And to be joined with someone so completely and intimately...

He was a writer, but this was one sensation that he could never capture into words.]]

[ Ahiru gasped against his mouth when he entered her in one swift movement, eyes broad as she felt something give way and break.

And then, there was pain. Not like the ache from before, but a stinging, deep-rooted physical hurt that made her eyes well up with unshed tears. She could dimly remember something that was said about the first time resulting in pain with the full penetration, but his made her throw her head to the side, biting down on her lip so hard she thought it might bleed.

She whimpered pathetically through the corner of her mouth, hands clinging to him with so much force that her hands were turning white. Her body was rapidly trying to adjust to his size, unused to something so big intruding in the depths of her core and filling her so _completely_.

And Ahiru waited as patiently as possible, silently urging that sharp pain to subside. She could feel the pleasure - it was lurking right under the surface. And as soon as the throb ended, she was sure it would come and consume her immediately.

She just needed to hold on a little longer... ]

[[Her pain was evident. And instantly, the guilt threatened to consume him. He should've warned her. He should've been more gentle with his entrance. He should've...

But all he could do at that moment was hold her, pressing light kisses against her jaw. Damn it all, why did this have to hurt her? Didn't he promise to protect her from all harm just a couple hours ago? Fighting against the urge to start thrusting within that heated passage, he simply remained very still and reveled in the closeness.

Hopefully, when the pain subsided, he'd make it up to her in whatever way he could.]]

...I'm sorry...are you...?

[ She shifted a little, breathing deeply as she shivered from his gentle ministrations.

The pain was starting to retreat now, the throb slowly tapering off and allowing her grip to loosen on him a little.

But...

It was worth _every second_ of the sharp pain that came with his breaking of her barrier. And Ahiru could not think of anyone who deserved to have her more than he did. She knew that she had made the right choice, even with her inhibitions so limited by alcohol. She could feel it deep down inside.

And she could also feel the burning of pleasure that was rapidly seeping in from every angle, overwhelming her to the point that she gasped again, and tentatively moved herself back and forward over the wonderful pulse of his erection filling her to the very brim.

How could he fit so _perfectly_ even when he was so big compared to her small size? ]

I'm...okay. Fine - now. It feels so...!

[[It took a long moment for him to compose himself at her words. Even through the thin latex material of the condom barring him from completely feeling her inner walls clinging around his shaft, her tightness and wetness had him close to gasping for breath. In some strange, inexplicable way, as snug as the fit was, it was as if he was made to complete her. As if in all his life, he'd been waiting for the one person he was meant to be connected with.

And he knew he'd found her. In a single night, he'd found his perfect fit. His muse. His future. There was no way in hell he was going to let her go after this night. Even if the effects of the alcohol affected her enough to take away her memories of tonight, he'd do everything in his power to win her over again.

Because this was worth it. SHE was worth it.

Pulling back until only the tip of his member remained, pressing a soft kiss to her jawline, he instantly sunk himself back in with a single thrust, a deep groan rumbling from within his throat.

Despite the overwhelming desire to pound into her without mercy, he kept the pace slow and languid, giving her all the time she needed to adjust. After all, this would certainly not be the last time he'd engage in this with her. There would be other times when he would be able to let loose and lose himself within her completely.

But for now, this was HER night. Whatever she wanted, he'd give her.]]

Ahiruuuu...

[ Ahiru had never felt anything like it. He did more than just fill the void inside of her - he felt like he _belonged_. And it was as though she had been specifically waiting for him, no matter how impossible that seemed.

It wasn't just the alcohol blurring and stirring the reality and fantasy together in her mind, either. Not only did she know that this was real, but that it would continue to be real after this night. He had no intentions in leaving her and this becoming just a memory.

This... was the start of something new and wonderful that she was sure she needed in her life. And in one night, she had found it - found _him_.

The redhead moaned as he retracted and then slid right back in, a pleasant and warm sensation running up and down her spine with every one of his slow penetrations. His condom-coated length glided into her passage with ease and each thrust made her shiver from the feelings that jolted into being.

For the moment, she was content with his movements. It was giving her time to fully adjust to the intrusion in her core and allowing her walls to stretch bit by bit to accommodate him.

But she was starting to feel the need to rock back against him and meet his steady pumps - and she did so, easily falling into his pace sliding her fingers up and over his chest as she arched into him with every buck to meet his impalement. ]

[[When she began to meet his thrusts halfway, he released a gasp through clenched teeth, eyes screwing shut. But he had to keep himself together. Fakir had no intention of hurting her. Not after completely breaking her barrier just moments before.

Aching to anchor himself in some way, he adjusted his hold on Ahiru's backside, one hand reaching up to clutch at the top of the stall's wall. Holding on to steady himself, his knuckles turning white from the pressure, he started to increase his efforts, pushing into her with faster and harsher strokes, sliding in and out of her repeatedly. With only a single hand holding her up with him, he was forced to press her harder against the side of the stall, using the barrier behind her for support.

His heavy pants morphed into grunts of exertion, unable to think straight with her walls clenched so incredibly and tightly around him from every direction, his tip delving deeper into her with every pumping movement.

He'd never felt this before... Physically or emotionally. She affected him in every way possible. And he'd have to thank Mytho and Rue for blackmailing him into this.

This was the best night of his life. Nothing came close to it. Nothing ever would.]]

Ah-ahhh! Fakiiiir...!

[ Pressure was building and building with his every increasingly-swift movement in and out of her burning center, tying into a solid knot of pleasure that was pulled even tighter with every passing second.

Her legs were beginning to slip from their locked position behind him as he continued to thrust into her, and she struggled to keep them in place, ankles sliding and legs quivering. Even with the inadequate space to rock back into his rhythm, she settled for arching every time the amazing the friction racked through her core.

The shallow breaths she was releasing rapidly gave way to small cries, her face flushing with heat and red bangs clinging to her face with the perspiration on her forehead. There was literally no way to describe what she was feeling or what was escalating within in with every one of his strokes through her saturated center.

But she didn't need to. _Feeling_ was everything. The sensations were rapidly overwhelming her, and the pleasure and white-hot electricity flowing out to awaken every nerve in her body to full attention made her never want to stop this incredible build.

She whined, raking one set of nails almost harshly down the length of his torso.

Still, _still_ she inexplicably needed more... ]

Please...! H-Harder...

[[Another groan climbed its way from his throat and he instantly bucked harder into her, sending her colliding repeatedly into the wall behind her. He promised that this would be her night. Whatever she wanted, he'd give her. If she wanted it harder, then by god...

His grip on the wall tightened and it began to vibrate from the force of his pounding rhythm, his hand squeezing the soft cheek of her rear with every rough thrust of his manhood burying into her slick entrance. He wouldn't be able to stop, even if RUE walked into the bathroom. And with the way she was reacting, her nails leaving red streaks across the tanned skin of his chest, there was no possible way he could even THINK of slowing down. The sharp pain only seemed to add to the building tension that crushed him from all sides as he forcefully slammed her right into the barrier of the stall.

The only thing he needed more than reaching that sacred peak of pleasure was to bring her there first. He wanted to see her writhe and convulse in his arms, hear the sound of his name on her lips as she released around him...

The very thought of it pulled a loud moan from his lips as he pistoned himself sharply in and out of her.]]

Damn it...!

[ Ahiru's cries steadily grew louder and more desperate, her eyes clenching shut from the sheer force and power of his thrusts and her back ramming incessantly against the stall side behind her.

That build of heat and unfathomable pleasure was squeezing and constricting and making her heart beat impossibly fast in her breast. Squeals climbed out of her throat and met the air, her lithe form shuddering around him in anticipation and blind, raw _need_.

This entanglement of limbs and incredible connection of their centers was intoxicating her more than the alcohol could have ever hoped to. The sensations blazed and grasped around her with a ruthless intent, pushing her harder and closer to something in the near distance, something she knew she had to get to at all costs-!

Every time he drew out and unforgivingly crashed back in, she felt the white-hot pleasure swell a little more, his tip reaching somehow deeper and deeper into her core with every rough thrust. She was definitely close-she could feel it. He was bringing her to brink of insanity and she wanted nothing more than to get there and fall plummeting from the very top.

She leaned forward to press her small mounds against his chest and bury her face into the crook of his neck, muffling the whimpers and cries that fell from her lips. He was feeling everything she was, wasn't he?

More than anything, Ahiru wanted to reach that final peak _with_ him. She needed to. In one single night he meant so much to her and to share this with him would mean the world. ]

Fakir...! Please-I can't-! Need... you-!

[[His movements spun out of control with her cries and he crushed her against the wall, grunting with every tight clench of her walls around him. She was getting tighter and tighter and he knew for a fact that she was getting close. He could barely hold on anymore, though. The tension was building to high and too fast and release was just in reach. Stubbornly, he kept himself at bay, feeling the swelling ache growing until it threatened to consume him entirely, ready to explode inside and out of him.

To him, they weren't even in the public bathroom of a nightclub anymore. To him, the only ones that existed in the universe were them. Her, with her legs wrapped so closely around him, her limbs and back slick with perspiration. Him, holding onto her as if she was his very lifeforce. And maybe she was at this point. He couldn't even imagine what he did with his life without her by his side.

He didn't want to go back to that. He WOULDN'T go back to that. He'd claimed her as his own, and he belonged solely to her alone.]]

Ahiru...!

[[He was too close now. So close to teetering over the edge and into the depths of fire and pleasure and ecstasy. Sweat dripped down from his brow as he continued to plunge into her, and despite his exhaustion, he pushed himself onward, forcing himself to speed up and leave no part of her unexplored.

With that thought, his hand left the wall to yank at the red strands of her hair, pulling her away from his neck in favor of devouring her lips with his, shoving his tongue right into the wet cavern.]]

[ The yelp that was pulled out of her mouth when he yanked her back was instantly swallowed as his mouth captured hers in a bruising kiss, effectively silencing her. Her tongue instinctively moved to twist around and fight back against his, small whines reverberating from the reaches of her throat.

And the repeated intrusion above and below at the same time was causing her heat to rise exponentially, the sensations becoming so fierce in intensity that she expected herself to erupt at any moment.

Ahiru never thought sex could - or would be so utterly mind-blowing. And yet, she knew that it _wouldn't_ be like this - and feel like this - if it wasn't for him. Fakir made all the difference. Fakir was the one who had drawn her in almost instantly and unknowingly filled a little empty niche that was just _waiting_ for this day. And she wouldn't trade it for anything.

Kissing him back hungrily, she raised one hand to cup the side of his face, running her fingers through his sweat-saturated dark locks of hair and sliding her palm against his smooth, tanned cheek. Her other hand was much less gentle as it practically tore at his front, trailing up to slide under his arm and grip tightly at his back. And her shoulders and back endlessly slapped against the stall, each crash pushing her higher and higher.

Just a little more-just a tiny bit more...! She was so close! Her walls were aching with his thrusts and squeezing the life out of his shaft, begging and pleading with him...! ]

[[And just like that, with her walls clenching so deliciously around him, squeezing him until he could barely breathe, he came, bursting into his orgasm within the protection of the latex condom, mouth pulling away from hers as he shouted her name into the air of the empty bathroom, echoing off the walls. His arms clenched tightly around her, pushing his length as deep as it could go as he shuddered violently with the sheer force of his climax. It was... He couldn't even think of a way to describe it...!

The world exploded into color before his eyes as he desperately clung to the girl he had come to treasure over the course of a single night...]]

[ With his mouth no longer covering her own, she screamed openly and shrilly into the enclosure as his manhood reached an impossible depth within her center. ]

Fakiiiiir... _FAKIIIR_!

[ Her first orgasm crashed down on her unforgivingly from all angles, flooding her with ecstasy and blinding her with white as she embraced him with all the strength she could muster, convulsing violently and using her grip on him to keep her grounded. She released around his still-embedded length, overflowing from their connection point and spilling to the floor.

And she let the euphoria take her out of existence entirely. ]

[[It took a while before Fakir could bring himself to open his eyes, still shuddering from the remnants of his release and clutching onto her body like a lifeline. His legs were ready to give way, but he retained enough strength to shift Ahiru in his arms and maneuver the both of them to sit on the closed toilet lid. He panted against the skin of her neck, holding her steady and closely to him on his lap.

Could anything possibly be better than this? Being connected so intimately with the girl of his dreams after bringing her to that sweet peak of ecstasy right along with him. Still unable to speak, he placed tiny kisses to her jaw, stroking her back with soft caresses.]]

...Ahiru...

[ Ahiru gradually came down from that incredible high, breathing labored and erratic as she clutched close to him, one flushed cheek laying against the slightly-slick skin of his upper chest.

She was tired and sore, but... so _elated_ inside and content beyond what she could possibly express in words. The spent redhead nuzzled into him with a small smile, eyelids opening halfway as she sighed against the warm skin of his torso. He was so strong and fierce and yet so gentle and soothing and she didn't know what on earth she had done to deserve him, but she was so grateful.

Resting her hand over his heart, she took a deep, calming breath as she felt the steady thump against her hand.

And this wasn't even the end. It wasn't just a dream or a mistake meant to crumble to pieces. This amazing night was only the beginning of something wonderful... ]

[[With a contented sigh, Fakir rested his chin on the top of her head.

So much had happened in a matter of a couple hours. Was it rational? Smart? Not at all. And he fully reveled in it. Because those crazy last couple hours had changed his life forever. And he would hold onto her for as long as he could.

Cradling her closer, he smirked at the mess on the floor.

...Well. He had enough condoms to last for the rest of the night at least...]]

[ She made a small humming noise in the back of her throat as she slid her hand up and down his chest, basking in his warmth and the protection of his embrace.

What she wouldn't give to just stay like this...

Ahiru stiffened slightly at that thought, her fingers ceasing their caressing movements. As... irrational as it was (not that _anything_ up to this point had really been rational), she didn't really want to leave him. And that was stupid and selfish, and they were probably both going to have hangovers from the excessive amount of drinking, but...

Once again, the alcohol left her lips far too loose. ]

Can I... Can I stay with you tonight?

[[Once more, she had asked a pointless question. That had been his intention the entire time. Though, it probably would've been better to set that straight earlier.

Tugging her even closer to him, he pressed his lips against her forehead, calloused fingers playing with the dress still gathered at her hips.]]

Idiot. There's no way I'm letting you go.

[[He took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet, intoxicating scent of her hair.]]

My place or yours? I'll call a cab.

[ The redhead blushed at that, snuggling deeper into his arms with a little giggle as his lips pressed softly into her brow. ]

E-Either's fine...

[ She wasn't even the slightest bit worried about her friends being concerned over her disappearance. They had probably come up with some gleeful tale of her being kidnapped and held for ransom or something ridiculous like that. They would probably track her down tomorrow and demand to 'comfort' her over what they probably thought was a miserable night (oh how wrong they would be...).

And if they _really_ needed to get a hold of her, she was sure they would have called. But her white purse laid amidst the rest of the mess on the floor, no sound issuing from its depths whatsoever.

But... what about _his_ companions? How that clear thought suddenly came to light in her middle mind, she wasn't sure, but now seemed an appropriate time to ask. ]

What about... your friends? Won't they be worried?

[ The one who came in the bathroom while they were intimately involved seemed really concerned. She wondered if they would really just leave without making sure he was okay. ]

...Yours then. I'm curious to see what a mess the place must be.

[[His tone was teasing, of course, and he ruffled her still-damp bangs affectionately to emphasize this. He certainly didn't wish to return back to his place just yet. Even with her in his arms for the night, he'd much rather have their first night together in a place she was most comfortable.

But at the mention of his friends, he frowned, turning toward the area where his pants had fallen. His phone didn't ring yet, so perhaps Mytho really had gone home without him.

As he had hoped, Rue probably took full advantage of the fact that Fakir told Mytho to leave. He'd most likely been brought to her place to be fully taken advantage of, or at least that was how Fakir saw it.]]

If they're worried, they'll call me in the morning.

[[He didn't even bother asking about HER friends. Just from hearing about them in their conversation at the bar had him disliking the two instantly.]]

[ Ahiru puffed her cheeks out at his comment, slapping her palm against his bare chest as her cheeks took on a healthy shade of red.

She could tell he was just poking fun at her, but she felt driven to defend herself, anyway. ]

It's not _that_ messy! J-Just a little disorganized. Didn't know I was gonna have company or anything or I woulda cleaned up first...

[ Satisfied that his friends wouldn't be a problem, she leaned up slightly to place a tiny kiss to the base of his base of his neck. ]

Okay.

[ She shifted slightly in his grip, languidly pulling up one of the straps of her dress to sit back on her shoulder. And she made a mental note not to give the dress back to Lilie at the first opportunity. Despite how much she didn't want to wear it at first, the short blue dress now held a very special significance to her and she didn't really want to part with it. ]

[[Her light slap was rather useless, but it made his smirk widen nonetheless. Her cheeks puffed out again. And he already acknowledged that he thought it was absolutely adorable.]]

Hn. You wouldn't have to clean up for me anyway.

[[Expression softening with the small press of her lips, he reached behind her to help adjust her dress, pulling the zipper all the way up.

As much as he liked the dress she was wearing, he'd make sure that she'd only wear this one around him, though. His temper flared just THINKING about the men who dared to even glance at the girl still very much connected to him.]]

[ She squeaked in surprise when the cold metal zipper slid up against her back as he pulled it, jolting slightly from the unexpected feeling upon her still very warm skin. ]

A-Ah... that's _cold_.

[ Giving one more slight shudder, she dug down on her other side to fish out the opposite strap, lips pursing in concentration as she tried to unearth it from within the folds it had collapsed into.

And amidst her struggle to find and tug it free, she ended up elbowing him in the side. ]

OW...!

[[He winced when her elbow impacted his side, his hands pulling away from hers to rub the area. Damn, did she have bony elbows or something?]]

Careful, idiot.

[[Reaching over, he tried to help her find that second strap in the folds of her dress, shifting in an attempt to pull out of her and stand up to get them both straightened out before leaving.]]

S-Sorry, I-!

[ Ahiru then felt a heated flush wash over her face when he shifted, indirectly feeling the movement of what was still inside of her and now tugging out.

She honestly hadn't even noticed. She'd gotten so accustomed with being connected in him in such an intimate way that the discomfort had long since passed.

Letting him pull out, she attempted to follow suit and stand on her wobbly legs, finding the missing strap with his assistance and getting it pulled back up to its proper place on her shoulder. ]

[[A deep, low groan escaped him when she pulled away, his limp length falling free from her entrance. And instantly, he missed the connection, and made a mental note to give it another go at her place later. Her warmth was just too damn addictive for him to stay away for long.

Turning a bit away from her, he slipped the used condom off his shaft, dumping it into the nearby trash bin of the stall, before standing up on his own, but less-shaky, legs.

He bent down, picked up his jeans, and carefully stepped into them.]]

Don't apologize. Just be careful.

[ It was a little... strange now that his length wasn't inside of her walls any longer. And without him to fill the void, the soreness in her groin and legs became more apparent, causing her to wince slightly as she bent down to find her fallen panties.

Bracing one hand against the stall to keep her balance, she tugged the flimsy and thoroughly-saturated clothing piece back up and under her dress. It didn't fit very well anymore, due to having been a little stretched when his fingers had pushed it aside, but at least the waistband still rested well enough on her hips.

Dipping down to retrieve her purse, she slid the long strap up onto her shoulder and straightened again, shifting from one foot to the other as she tried to adjust to being on her own two feet again.

It was much more uncomfortable this way than she expected. ]

I think... I got everything.

[[He reached past her for his shirt, pulling it over his head after his pants were done. Then, he bent over to retrieve the fallen condoms and shoved them in his back pocket. Wallet, phone...everything seemed to be there.

Turning to her, he nodded, unlocking the door and stepping outside, reaching for her hand.]]

...You alright?

[ The redhead nodded and followed after him on unstable legs, forming a small smile on her lips as she extended her arm to place her hand into his offered one. ]

Mm. Just not used to...

[ She trailed off, her hand closed around his for support. Her body would probably adjust soon enough, but for now, she hoped it would be all right to rely on him a little. ]

But I'm okay.

[[His fingers curled around hers tightly and he hoped it would give her the comfort she needed. She was walked a bit more awkwardly than before, and he knew that it was his fault for that.]]

...Come on. You need to rest.

[[Fakir led her over to the entrance to the bathroom, pulling the door open for her.]]

[ Ahiru allowed herself to be guided without complaint, stepping out of the bathroom and back into the flashing lights and colors, loud music, and rowdy crowd of the nightclub. She doubted anyone would really pay them a second glance at this point. The joint was just as lively as it was before they had disappeared into the bathroom.

It was strange how everything had happened so fast. And on a night she thought was going to be absolutely terrifying and uncomfortable, to boot.

But now she couldn't feel more fulfilled and more pleased with the result. ]

[[Fakir instantly grimaced when the loud music slammed into his eardrums so abruptly, but they were almost home-free. All he needed to do was bring her outside and call a cab and then they'd be truly alone together. Something he looked forward to more than he would readily admit.

Taking her hand once more, he headed straight for the main entrance.

Until a random girl with curly blonde hair bounded right up to Ahiru, bouncing excitedly and seemingly not even noticing Fakir at all for the moment.]]

_"Oh my! Ahiruuuu, I thought you were kidnapped for certain! Did anyone attack you? Mug you? Call you fat and trip you on the dance floor?"_

[[And Fakir stopped walking, his eyebrow quirking upward at the new girl. Who the hell was...?

And she was quickly followed by another with pink - PINK? - hair.]]

_"There you are! We've been looking all over for you! There are a couple guys we wanted you to meet!"_

[[Almost on instinct, Fakir's grip on her hand tightened.]]

[ Ahiru stiffened the instant she heard the familiar voices, which at the moment, rang through her skull very unpleasantly and not unlike hammers beating her head. Did they have to yell?

Turning her grimace into an unsteady smile, she waved her free hand at her two friends. ]

Hi... guys. You were... looking for me? Didn't really seem like it.

[ She forced a rather awkward laugh, looking from one girl to the other.

This wasn't going to end well, was it? ]

A-Ah, I don't really need to meet any... actually, I was going to head home...

[[Damn right she was going home. She was going home with him, and definitely not about to meet other guys. A surge of possessiveness flared up within him, and he tugged on her hand, stepping up to face her friends.]]

She doesn't need to meet anyone. She's leaving. Right now.

[ Ahiru blinked as her friends suddenly took notice of her companion, the surprise and curiosity all too apparent in their expressions.

Pique's mouth dropped open, one finger lifting to point at Fakir in shock. ]

_"Oh my gooood! It's the hot guy from over by the bar! You got him to give you a ride home, Ahiru! You're so lucky!"_

[ Lilie, on the other hand, looked like she had just found her new target. She grinned like a mock-innocent cheshire-cat as her bright green eyes landed on Fakir. ]

_"This must be the dark and mysterious culprit who took advantage of our darling Ahiru~! What a beast! Ohhhh I just knew one of those prowling men would go after her!"_

[ Although the pink-haired girl rolled her eyes, the blonde looked absolutely gleeful at the prospect. And she hastily bounced right up to the redhead, squishing her cheeks together rather comically. ]

_"I'll be here to comfort you when he breaks your fragile little heart into tiny pieces, Ahiru!"_

[ The redhead rubbed her cheeks as Lilie finally released her. She really just wanted to... leave. It was obvious from the look in her friends' eyes that they had loads of questions to ask. ...And Lilie's imagination was probably running wild.

Pique, though, still looked somewhat incredulous. ]

_"Lilie's not onto something, is she? This guy's just driving you home 'cause you're tired, right? ...Though one of those guys was really excited to meet you, you know. Don't you think you could just come and say hello quick? He's blond and pretty tall... and really cute."_

[ Ahiru had a sudden urge to throw up that had nothing at all to do with the alcohol. ]

[[With every word the two chatterboxes spoke, he found himself growing more irritable by the second. Damn it, just a few minutes ago, he thought he was in heaven. Not only had he found that this pink - PINK - haired girl was watching him sit at the bar, but the blonde was accusing him of taking advantage of Ahiru.

One thing he'd never, EVER do. And he was most certainly not a "prowling" man. His feelings for Ahiru, while abrupt and sudden, were genuine and serious about her. And he'd kill himself before he ever broke her heart.

And she was NOT going to meet anyone else tonight. Though, he had the distinct feeling that after what they'd shared in the bathroom earlier, she wouldn't find this blonde "cute" pretty-boy type to be any attractive. He could feel the connection between them, something far beyond just a physical magnetism.

His temper flared once more. Doing his best to ignore the two, he turned to the redhead, hand never releasing hers.]]

...Let's go. You need your rest.

[[This was incredibly uncomfortable and aggravating as it was. And he disliked her friends even MORE.

And he'd show that blonde one that he'd never hurt Ahiru. Ever. Out of everything they had said, that simple claim that he would break her heart just crossed the line.]]

[ Ahiru would have liked to say that she couldn't believe her friends had come up with all of these crazy ideas in their heads, but she was unfortunately, not surprised at all. Lilie would make blatant and rude accusations of anyone who was even a mere acquaintance of hers, so seeing someone serious and attractive like Fakir had probably just fulfilled a billion fantasies in the blonde's head.

Sighing, the redhead gave her male companion's hand a squeeze, as if to apologize for the sudden arrival of her friends just before they could finally make their way out of the club.

She turned pleading and exasperated blue eyes to her friends. ]

Lilie, don't _say_ things like that. It's not nice at all! And Pique, just tell them I'm not interested, okay?

[ And she had been ready to turn around then and walk away from her friends - but someone in the near distance was running toward them. Tall, blonde, and... someone she _really_ didn't want to see right now, much less ever again.

...Seems her mind had jumped to the unpleasant, but correct assumption when Pique mentioned him, after all.

He smiled all too widely at her as he came up behind her friends, looking her up and down. ]

_"Hey, girls. You were takin' a bit too long. ...So this is her, huh? Well, we've already had the good fortune of meeting each other earlier tonight."_

[ Ahiru barely resisted the urge to gag. Lilie's eyes were fixated intently on Fakir. And Pique looked confused.

It was the latter who spoke first. ]

_"TWO guys in one night, Ahiru? And all on your own? I never would have guessed! Here we thought we were practically gonna have to do everything for you!"_

[ The young blond man, however, scowled. He had just caught sight of Fakir, as though somehow not noticing he was there the entire time. ]

_"...You again? Why don't you run along and find some other chick to hang out with for awhile? You got to dance with this one already!"_

[ The pink-haired girl's violet eyes broadened in shock as they looked between Ahiru and the dark-haired man. ]

_"No WAY! Did you...seriously? Ahiru, that's so not fair! I was trying to think of ways to approach him all night!"_

[ The redhead raised her free hand to rest against her forehead, feeling a sudden wave of nausea. She really... just wanted to go. And be with Fakir. And NOT deal with blonds that grabbed her and Lilie's stories, and Pique's obvious envy.

Why did this have to happen now? ]

I'm... just really tired, okay? I want. To go. Home.

[ The blond man's eyes broadened as he seemed to put two and two together. ]

_"Wait-what? You're leaving with him?"_

[ Unable to stop the aggravation that crawled up under her then, the exhausted redhead looked up and met his gaze right on, a scowl on her lips. ]

Yes. Now please...just _go away_.

[[...This was just ridiculous. How the hell did Ahiru end up picking up friends like THEM? And to make matters worse, that blonde man was the same damn asshole that almost jumped on her earlier that night. Though, he had to admit that without him, he never would've approached her and had the night of his life, but...

It was just too much now. That blonde girl jumped to too many conclusions - Ahiru was only with HIM, damn it, and no one else - and that pink - WHY PINK? - haired girl made him more uncomfortable than he'd like to admit. She was WATCHING him all night?

Aggravated, drunk, and possessive, Fakir stepped in front of the redhead, staring each of the other three down with cold, narrowed eyes, eyebrows creased and wrapping an arm around Ahiru's waist rather protectively.]]

Not "two guys." Just ME. And Ahiru isn't just some "chick." We're leaving, and YOU...

[[His eyes bore into the blonde man's, almost threateningly.]]

...Can leave her the hell alone. She's taken.

[ The three newcomers seemed temporarily stunned into complete silence by the intimidating glare from Fakir, two of their mouths hanging open like fish out of water.

Ahiru, on the other hand, smiled appreciatively and instinctively leaned into the secure grip that curled around her waist, resting a little of her weight against him. ]

That's right. So just go and... have fun dancing and stuff. I'll be fine.

[ Better than fine. She had all the trust in the world for Fakir. And she was looking forward to spending the night with him. And him alone.

Lilie, for whatever reason, seemed content enough to keep her mouth shut and just grin at the two of them. And the blond guy snapped out of his stupor at last, sending Fakir a look of utter loathing before he turned on heel and stalked off into the crowd.

Pique's envy seemed to have been snuffed out by a note of concern, though. Her violet eyes turned to Ahiru, expression almost apprehensive. ]

_"Ahiru? Are you sure you're going to... be all right? I thought you were joking or something, but..."_

[ She stopped go glance at Fakir briefly before setting her gaze back on the redhead again. ]

_"You just met him, right? And you're really going to leave with him? Ahiru, that's... really not smart."_

[ For a moment, Ahiru was a little touched that her friend was sort of looking out for her. Pique always did have a little more sense that Lilie did.

But in this case... she knew that she had absolutely nothing to worry about. Even if she was drunk, she'd never felt so sure of a decision in her life. ]

I promise I'll be fine, okay, Pique? He'll... I know he'll take good care of me. I trust him.

[ The pink-haired girl, however, looked back at Fakir with a raised brow, as if studying him for confirmation of her friend's claim. ]

[[Fakir was intensely glad that the blonde man had walked away when he did. He was this close to simply punching him across his smug face. And thankfully, the blonde girl kept her mouth shut.

...Despite the strange color of her hair, she seemed sensible enough. And to be honest, he was incredibly surprised that Ahiru didn't heed her words. It really WASN'T smart to be going home with someone she'd just met, no matter how attracted and drawn to one another they were. Still, a surge of pride swelled up inside of him with her words.

She trusted him. And he would treasure that and maintain that trust for as long as she'd allow him to.

Expression softening considerably, he met the girl's scrutinizing stare head-on with confidence, his arm lowering from Ahiru's waist to weave his fingers with her, clutching her hand tightly.]]

...She'll be fine. I'll make sure of that.

[ With a sigh, Pique cracked a half-smile as she watched the two of them interact. They certainly seemed... cozy. The young man had an edge, definitely, but softened it up when it came to the redhead. And the guy didn't really strike her as sleazy or anything. Heck, she'd been eying him here and there over the course of the night _because_ he was so stoic and different from the others.

And even if Ahiru wasn't known for making the smartest decisions, she knew her friend's heart was in the right place. So the pink-haired woman shrugged. ]

_"Yeah, yeah. Okay. You two go on, then."_

[ Though just as she said that, Pique leaned into the redhead's ear, cupping a hand around her mouth like she was telling a secret. ]

_"I want all the juicy details later, got it?"_

[ And with that, the pink-haired woman pulled away, giving Ahiru a wink before she took the arm of the suddenly-giggling Lilie and pulled her away from the two.

Ahiru blushed slightly as her friends went off toward the dance floor, heaving a sigh as she gave Fakir's hand another squeeze. ]

Fiiiinally...

[[His eyebrows furrowed when the woman leaned in to whisper something to Ahiru. He didn't bother to ask. He wasn't certain if he really wanted to know anyway.

Relaxing almost instantly after the two finally left, he wasted no time in pulling Ahiru toward the entrance once more, eager to leave before anything ELSE happened. But even as he continued to lead her forward, not looking back at her, he spoke over the music and the chattering of the crowds.]]

...You know I'd never hurt you.

[[It was more of a statement than a question. He just had to make sure she knew that. In some strange twist of fate, he had come to care so much for a girl in ways that he always thought were pointless or insignificant.

Now, he wouldn't wish for anything more if he could keep her.]]

[ Ahiru blinked at the back of his head.

Where had that come from? Something in her gut lurched a little. She hoped the things Lilie and Pique said didn't make him feel bad or doubtful. She didn't view him like that...

Constricting her fingers around his, she stumbled after him. ]

I know.

[ And her voice was more than confident. If he had wanted to hurt her, he had many, many opportunities to have done that over the evening. But he had been very mindful of her and her wishes, always waiting and stopping and making sure she was okay, and even protecting her from other men and unwanted attentions. And on top of that, he'd even thought of her safety in the bathroom when they had both been pushed to the very edge.

She smiled after him, even if he could not see it. ]

...Thank you.

[[The power behind her words satisfied him, and made it even more apparent that she had an inner light and strength beneath her small, innocent exterior. Tightening his hand around hers, he led them outside and out of the club, a small smirk on his face.

The best night of his life wasn't over yet. And it certainly wouldn't end when the sun came up. For once in his life, he actually looked forward to something. He looked forward to having her in his life.]]

...Let's get you home already.

[ She shivered a bit as she stepped into the cool night air, pulling the strap of her purse up a little higher before it slipped off of her shoulder. It wasn't _really_ that cold out, but it was as if her body was exaggerating the lack of heat in comparison to Fakir.

Cars darted back and forth on the road, headlights shining as they passed by. It was almost a welcome noise as compared to the heavy, booming and pulsing music inside of the nightclub.

Ahiru walked forward until she was standing at his side, still clutching his hand in hers.

At least now she didn't have to think of how empty her apartment would seem when she got there. He was coming with her, after all. ]

[[With a practiced whistle, Fakir summoned a taxi right up to the curb, pulling Ahiru toward it and opened the door for her.]]

Better tell the driver where we're off to.

[ Ahiru blinked and then grinned sheepishly. ]

Oh! Right.

[ She took the offered opening with that same smile, finally releasing his hand long enough to lower herself into the vehicle and scoot inside.

And as the middle-aged driver looked back and asked for a location, she gave him the address to her apartment and waited for Fakir to climb in. ]

[[Fakir slid into the seat after her, closed the door behind him, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as the vehicle began to make its way through the crowded streets.

Finally. Just peace and quiet and alone, but he still wasn't quite so alone with Ahiru as much as he'd liked. Leaning over to her, he placed a soft kiss to her cheek.]]

You're going to have a terrible morning, you know.

[[She'd be sore and with a massive hangover, but at least he'd be there to take care of her.]]

[ The redhead readily leaned into his touch with a soft sigh, reveling in the return of his warmth. It was strange how she had somehow managed to miss it over the course of such a short time without it enveloping her.

Was she really that attached to him already?

If she was, well, she was fine with it. As long as it was him.

Upon hearing his words, however, she jutted her bottom lip out in a slight pout, poking his chest with one finger. ]

You drank jus' as much. ...And besides, it can't be _that_ terrible if you're with me.

[ Ahiru didn't like what she'd heard about hangovers, by any means. But at least she hadn't been throwing up all night at the club. Maybe if she was lucky, the migraines wouldn't be _too_ bad.

And she was pretty sure she had some aspirin in the medicine cupboard that they could use. ]

Hn. We'll see about that.

[[He said this with a smirk, but part of him was a completely serious. He wasn't one to associate with him before his morning coffee. Coupled with an intense hangover, he certainly didn't wish to greet Ahiru with a sour mood. Not after their first night.

Maybe he'd try to contain his usual morning grouchiness. Just for her. No one else, of course. His arm tightened around her shoulders as they neared their destination.]]

[ Ahiru really had no idea what to expect from herself, either. Before tonight, she'd never really had alcohol before. And certainly not such a vast amount of it. She rather doubted that her body was going to thank her for that particular experience.

But... that was okay. She would deal with the consequences. And for the night she had as a result of them... well, it was more than worth whatever unpleasant things might come in the morning.

Peeking out the window as they approached the apartment building she lived in, Ahiru absently raised a hand to rest upon the one clutching her shoulder. ]

Ah... there it is.

[[With her words, he nodded to the driver.]]

Pull up over here.

[[When the yellow vehicle came to a stop before the apartment building, Fakir quickly fished out his wallet, handed the driver the appropriate amount of bills, and opened the door to slide out and stand on the sidewalk. He bent over and offered his hand to his companion.]]

This is the place?

[ It was almost amusing to her how chivalrous he was now, compared to how off-putting and rude he had initially seemed when she first met him.

...Not that she was any good at reading people. To be frank, she sucked at it. But it made her wonder just how many different layers Fakir had. She was looking forward to learning more about him.

Taking the given hand, she thanked the driver before stepping out of the car and onto the sidewalk. The apartment complex loomed from above. It definitely wasn't one the flashiest or nicest looking places in town, but... it was cheap and it had the necessities. And that was always enough.

Stepping toward the building with her hand in his, she nodded. ]

Yeah. It's not much, but it's comfortable inside.

[[He paid no mind when the yellow taxi zoomed off from their destination, hand clenching Ahiru's tightly. The place didn't look too shabby. Certainly not as large as his place, but he did have a pretty good income considering the success of his books.

Fakir led her up the steps and paused at the door where a key was obviously needed.

To be honest, he was more than a bit curious to see the interior of her living space. And to finally be able to be completely alone with her at last.]]

[ Ahiru dug into her purse with her free hand, fishing out her little keychain with the duck trinket on the end. And after fumbling at the keyhole for a moment, she finally got the metal to properly insert into the lock, which she then turned with the knob, opening the door to the interior.

It was a small living space, most of it already in view upon stepping inside: a living room with small couch and matching armchair, and a kitchen connecting down to a hall with two doors that led to her bedroom and bathroom.

She flipped on the light switch as she led him inside. A few things were strewn about the room, suggesting that she had been in a hurry, earlier. ]

Er... um... make yourself at home?

[[Just as he thought. Wasn't the cleanest apartment. In a way, endearing. A smirk appeared on his lips as he stepped into the living space, hands shoved comfortably in his pockets.]]

Not quite as messy as I thought it would be. I'm impressed.

[[Making his way over to the couch, he flopped down into it with a sigh. Finally. No loud music, no ridiculous friends, no assholes trying to steal HIS Ahiru.

No matter how quickly this relationship was going, he had no problems with claiming her as his own now.

Looking over in her direction, he held out a hand as an invitation to join him.]]

[ Her cheeks puffed out slightly again as she kicked a stray bag out of her path. ]

...My room's worse. I was trying to find an outfit to wear to the club and I was running late. And it was all for nothing _anyway_, 'cause Lilie made me wear this.

[ She pulled at one strap of the blue dress before sighing and accepting his invitation as she lowered to sit down on the couch beside him, instantly settling against him comfortably.

It was nice, like this. Cozy. She could definitely get used to it... ]

[[He honestly couldn't get enough of that expression she had whenever he teased her. Fakir could certainly see himself pulling that look out from her whenever the opportunity presented itself.]]

...What you're wearing is fine. Just don't bend over in it anymore. In public at least.

[[He let his eyes scan the living room in greater detail. And his eyebrows shot up. That shelf over there...

His books. All of them, lining the shelf in order.

She was one of his readers? Swallowing, he pulled her closer to his body, eyes trained on the spines of his novels. "Lohengrin" was scrawled at the bottom of every spine, claiming those books as his own.]]

...You read Lohengrin's work?

[ Ahiru perked up considerably at that, blue eyes alighting with a note of sudden excitement as she looked between him and the bookshelf. ]

Yes! Those are my favorites! He's a wonderful writer!

[ She settled her gaze on him imploringly, grinning from ear to ear. ]

If you recognize them, then... you've read them too?

[ That was something she didn't expect to have in common with him, to say the least. But the redhead certainly didn't mind. If he could appreciate Lohengrin's work, then he probably had quite the imagination, too. ]

[[He honestly had no idea how to respond at first. She thought he was a wonderful writer. And his books were her favorites.

Suddenly feeling a swell of pride and adoration for the girl at his side, he moved forward to place a kiss to her lips.]]

...Hn. Now I have another idea for a story...

[ She blinked blue eyes full of bewilderment as his mouth pressed to hers. And continued to stare at him with that puzzled, curious expression even afterward. ]

...Huh? Another idea for... wha?

[ Her brows furrowed. Ahiru never was that good at getting things without having them practically spelled out for her, so she was genuinely confused by his response. ]

[[He ran his fingers through her hair, smirk on his lips.]]

Moron.

[[Perhaps one about a knight and his princess. But as he stared at her freckled, wide-eyed face, he had to rethink it. Definitely not a princess. That just didn't seem to fit. Maybe a bird of something. A duck, perhaps.]]

Lohengrin's my penname.

[[He was never one to believe in fate or destiny. But maybe he really was MEANT to meet Ahiru tonight...]]

I'm not a-!

[ Then her intended rebuttal snapped off just as he spoke again. She blinked once. Twice. Three times.

His penname? His... he was...?

_Fakir_ was Lohengrin? Fakir wrote those amazing books that she'd adored ever since she picked up the first one?

Her eyes widened to the size of saucers, rippling with surprise and admiration as she stared at him, mouth agape. ]

You... you really...? _Wow_...

[[He moved forward to press his lips to her forehead.]]

...You are a moron. Nothing wrong with that.

[[He almost laughed at her expression. She really was like a child, wasn't she?]]

It's not that big of a deal.

[[That wasn't true. He was incredibly flattered that the girl he suddenly cared about so much after a single night was one of his readers and avid fan apparently.]]

It's-it's-! But you're-!

[ Her arms were near the point of flailing. All of this time she had been spending and incredible and unforgettable evening with someone she idolized and whose work inspired her to believe and to dream and to never lose that part of herself no matter how much older she became.

It was truly unreal. She couldn't even begin to tell him how much that she adored his work. She could go on for hours about her favorite stories and everything that she liked and the how well-rounded and interesting his characters were...

And yet she hadn't had a clue about it the entire time they had conversed and drank and danced and...

Her attraction to him and the pull of his aura had all occurred long before she had even an inkling of what she had just learned about him.

Still, the bright luster in her eyes never dimmed. ]

I had no idea...

[[He didn't know what to say at first. In normal cases, he would have preferred to remain anonymous with his works. Somehow, however, knowing that Ahiru admired him in this way filled him with an incredible amount of pride. He was right when he thought he found his muse. The desire to write was almost overwhelming.

It simply could not compare to his desire to stay by her side, however. He abruptly stood and scooped the small girl into his arms bridal style.]]

Hn. Come on. You need rest, idiot. I'll begin writing something for you in the morning.

[[Whether or not he decided to publish that story, he was certain that it would be his best one yet.]]

* * *

A/N: Manda-chan: And that's it for this one! Hope you enjoyed it. Please do review and let us know if you would still like to see more of these roleplay logs!

Thanks for reading!


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